Photo: Apple
This is getting out of hand. Apple’s AirTag, which in theory should be used for keeping an eye on belongings like the car keys and the wallet, is becoming the favorite tool of criminals out there.
Given it uses the iPhone network to send data about its location, the AirTag appears to be just the gadget modern thieves and stalkers needed for their nefarious purposes.
This is precisely what happened in Carlton, Oregon recently, when a family’s BMW ended up stolen after its location was revealed by an AirTag hidden inside.
Casey Livingston told the local media that he purchased a used BMW from a local dealership for his son. However, shortly after getting the car, they received a notification that an AirTag might be moving with them – this is one of the privacy protections the device comes with, as it tries to alert unsuspecting people they may be tracked.
After a thorough search inside, the family found the GPS tracker planted into the center console, so they immediately knew that someone was monitoring the location of the car.
A few days later, the BMW got stolen from their driveway, with the thieves needing just a few seconds to unlock the doors – as it turns out, the owners were given just one set of keys, so there’s a chance the thieves had the second.
The thieves eventually drove away with the car but then totaled it in an intersection where they rear-ended another vehicle.
A report from the local media cites the dealership as claiming that this particular BMW was purchased at auction, and while the vehicle was inspected prior to the sale, the AirTag wasn’t found by the mechanic.
The reason is as simple as it could be: the AirTag can issue warnings only to iPhone users, whereas Android phone owners need to download a dedicated app from the Google Play Store and manually scan for nearby trackers.
This is precisely what happened in Carlton, Oregon recently, when a family’s BMW ended up stolen after its location was revealed by an AirTag hidden inside.
Casey Livingston told the local media that he purchased a used BMW from a local dealership for his son. However, shortly after getting the car, they received a notification that an AirTag might be moving with them – this is one of the privacy protections the device comes with, as it tries to alert unsuspecting people they may be tracked.
After a thorough search inside, the family found the GPS tracker planted into the center console, so they immediately knew that someone was monitoring the location of the car.
A few days later, the BMW got stolen from their driveway, with the thieves needing just a few seconds to unlock the doors – as it turns out, the owners were given just one set of keys, so there’s a chance the thieves had the second.
The thieves eventually drove away with the car but then totaled it in an intersection where they rear-ended another vehicle.
A report from the local media cites the dealership as claiming that this particular BMW was purchased at auction, and while the vehicle was inspected prior to the sale, the AirTag wasn’t found by the mechanic.
The reason is as simple as it could be: the AirTag can issue warnings only to iPhone users, whereas Android phone owners need to download a dedicated app from the Google Play Store and manually scan for nearby trackers.
Google News