Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Apple
Apple built AirTags specifically to help us track small belongings, such as wallets and car keys, but the little device rapidly found a different purpose.
People use AirTags just in case their bikes, motorcycles, or cars get stolen, as the tracker can provide them with the location of the vehicles in real time.
AirTags use the Find My network to broadcast its live location. As such, it connects to nearby iPhones, so it doesn’t require an Internet connection of its own.
This is precisely how a California family managed to find a stolen e-bike. The owner managed to determine the location using an AirTag. After reporting the theft, the father, David Ehrman pulled the location data from the Find My app and drove directly to the address.
Without a doubt, this is precisely what many people whose belongings were stolen are tempted to do. Especially when knowing exactly where they are located, that is. But as some learned the hard way, this is a very, very risky idea, as someone who steals a bike might not have a problem doing worse things.
After driving to the address, Ehrman spotted the bike and decided to steal it back. Right when walking away with the e-bike, the thief spotted him. It was an awkward encounter, but the man recalls the thief being confused. He had no idea how his location was found, Ehrman says.
Sure enough, the family recovered the e-bike, but the police say this isn’t how things work. The local sheriff’s department warns that officers themselves should attempt to recover stolen goods. Facing the criminals directly is a big no-no, police emphasize.
AirTags have become very valuable tools in the fight against thieves and criminals. Police often use data provided by the tracker to find the location of a stolen good, especially as the technology is gaining traction.
In the meantime, however, people with nefarious purposes still misuse AirTags. Given its small form factor, the AirTag can be hidden virtually anywhere. This is why stalkers and thieves also use the device to keep track of their targets. In the case of cars, the tracker is most often planted behind license plates or in wheel wells. Using location data transmitted to the parent iPhone, thieves can then monitor the location of a vehicle and determine its typical route.
Apple has already fitted several protections on the AirTag. The device generates a warning on nearby iPhones when it’s moving with someone in an attempt to prevent stalking. On Android devices, users must scan for nearby AirTags with a dedicated app published on the Google Play Store. The experience is natively available on iPhone, as it’s integrated into the Find My app pre-loaded on iPhones.
AirTags use the Find My network to broadcast its live location. As such, it connects to nearby iPhones, so it doesn’t require an Internet connection of its own.
This is precisely how a California family managed to find a stolen e-bike. The owner managed to determine the location using an AirTag. After reporting the theft, the father, David Ehrman pulled the location data from the Find My app and drove directly to the address.
Without a doubt, this is precisely what many people whose belongings were stolen are tempted to do. Especially when knowing exactly where they are located, that is. But as some learned the hard way, this is a very, very risky idea, as someone who steals a bike might not have a problem doing worse things.
After driving to the address, Ehrman spotted the bike and decided to steal it back. Right when walking away with the e-bike, the thief spotted him. It was an awkward encounter, but the man recalls the thief being confused. He had no idea how his location was found, Ehrman says.
Sure enough, the family recovered the e-bike, but the police say this isn’t how things work. The local sheriff’s department warns that officers themselves should attempt to recover stolen goods. Facing the criminals directly is a big no-no, police emphasize.
AirTags have become very valuable tools in the fight against thieves and criminals. Police often use data provided by the tracker to find the location of a stolen good, especially as the technology is gaining traction.
In the meantime, however, people with nefarious purposes still misuse AirTags. Given its small form factor, the AirTag can be hidden virtually anywhere. This is why stalkers and thieves also use the device to keep track of their targets. In the case of cars, the tracker is most often planted behind license plates or in wheel wells. Using location data transmitted to the parent iPhone, thieves can then monitor the location of a vehicle and determine its typical route.
Apple has already fitted several protections on the AirTag. The device generates a warning on nearby iPhones when it’s moving with someone in an attempt to prevent stalking. On Android devices, users must scan for nearby AirTags with a dedicated app published on the Google Play Store. The experience is natively available on iPhone, as it’s integrated into the Find My app pre-loaded on iPhones.
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