Beware: AirTags Now Used to Track Cars Crossing the Border

The AirTag connects to the Find My network using nearby iPhones. It has no built-in Internet connection, doesn't need recharging, and is so small that it can be planted virtually anywhere. If an iPhone is in proximity, it can use its Internet connection to reveal its location on the map in the Find My app.

Apple launched the AirTag with a simple goal: to allow buyers to track their belongings, including wallets or car keys. Thanks to how AirTags work, Apple's trackers rapidly became a must-have anti-theft device, with people installing them in cars, bikes, and backpacks.

As with any other great thing on this planet, it was a matter of time until people with nefarious intentions ruined the fun. Criminals discovered that AirTags make for excellent stalking and theft gadgets.

A recent spike in the number of AirTags planted into cars returning from Canada convinced the Vermont police that it's time to come up with a public warning.

Criminals planting AirTags into cars isn't new, but the Vermont police say car thieves in Canada might have set up a new tactic to find new targets.

Here's how the scheme works, according to the information available today.

Most cars with AirTags planted in the grille or wheel wells recently returned from Canada, which made authorities assume the trackers were installed when owners were aboard. Canadian car thieves might be part of an international ring or plan to steal the cars before they return to the States, likely to sell or send them aboard. Local media have previously uncovered international car theft groups that were stealing vehicles to send them to Africa and Russia. All stolen cars were eventually sold for parts or even complete in regions where they could be re-registered with fake documents.

Police also believe that criminals might use AirTags to track vehicles returning to the States specifically to move drugs over the border. Sometimes, criminals might even hide small packages under the vehicle, typically at night when the owner can't spot them. AirTags help indicate the vehicle's location at night.

Most AirTags are planted inside the grille, in the wheel well, or under the windshield wipers. However, if they find a vehicle unlocked, they also attempt to plant it inside the cabin, making the AirTag even more difficult to detect.

Apple fitted the AirTag with an anti-stalking system that alerts people when a tracker is moving with them. The notification is generated when the AirTag is separated from the owner, with the user receiving the notification allowed to make the device beep specifically to determine its location.

Police tell car owners, especially if they return from Canada, to pay attention to AirTag notifications on their phones. If they find a tracker inside their car, they should contact the police immediately.

Theoretically, law enforcement can determine an AirTag's owner by contacting Apple. Every AirTag is connected to an iPhone using an Apple ID, and the Cupertino-based tech giant can assist the police with account information. However, criminals might purchase AirTags in batches and use them with newly-created accounts to cover their traces.

Android devices can also alert users for AirTags tracking their location, and Apple has also released a stand-alone application to let them scan for nearby trackers.

Meanwhile, police say the spike in the number of cars returning from Canada with AirTags planted in various places proves criminals constantly come up with new methods to steal cars, and owners must pay more attention to where they park their vehicles, especially at night.

If you wonder why a criminal uses an AirTag to track a car and doesn't steal it on the spot, it all comes down to finding the right moment. Car thieves use AirTag information to track a vehicle's location, determine patterns, and find the right moment to steal it. Most thefts happen at night, but once an AirTag is planted into your vehicle, its location is always exposed (if an iPhone is nearby).

Owners can also protect their cars using their own AirTags. They can install Apple devices in the cabin in hard-to-spot places, and if the vehicle gets stolen, they can retrieve its location and report it to the police. I've already created a list of the best places to hide an AirTag in a car, but you can use the comment box after the jump to share your ideas. A thief might not have an iPhone to find the AirTag, and even if they have, they can't afford to pull over and look for the device when the police are already searching for them.

The only way to disable an AirTag is to find where it is and remove the battery. The device doesn't come with a power-off button.