Apple Crime Log: AirTag Stalking, VIN-Swapping Schemes, and More
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It’s time to once again dig deep into police records for crimes related to Apple products. In this edition: a hidden AirTag leads cops to VIN-swapping scheme, another jerk uses an AirTag to stalk a woman, and a larcenous duo’s iPhone theft is foiled when they crash into a parked car while making their getaway.
Hidden AirTag in Stolen Car Uncovers Philly VIN-Swapping Scheme
When South Philly resident Jenna Doyle’s Honda Accord was stolen, she used an AirTag hidden in the vehicle to locate it. However, when she invited police into the matter, the cops wouldn’t believe her when she said the vehicle was hers!
As reported by WPVI, the car discovered in New Jersey did not match her description. She had lost a 2020 Honda Accord, but to all appearances, the vehicle in question was a 2018 model, which happened to have a different license plate and even a different public VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).
Only when cops checked the hidden VIN under the vehicle’s floor mat did officers finally believe the car was hers.
“Somebody made it their own. It was absolutely wild. I couldn’t believe it,” Doyle said. “It was like a whole new car, but my stuff was still inside.”
Philadelphia Police Major Crimes Auto Squad Captain Robert McKeever told the TV station, thieves “often replace the public VIN plate on the windshield, obtain a fake title, and sell the car.”
He said criminals likely used a device to access the vehicle’s computer system and create a new key fob. The technology used is currently freely available online.
Bridgeton Police say that the person who was in possession of the Honda had bought it from someone and the case remains under investigation.
Philadelphia police report they’ve seen more than 8,000 auto thefts so far this year, with about a quarter of the thefts involving Hondas, thanks to their interchangeable and valuable parts.
Iowa Man Charged With AirTag Stalking
A Carroll, Iowa man has been charged with stalking after he allegedly secreted an AirTag on the vehicle of a Coon Rapids woman who had obtained a no-contact order against him, reports KCIM. The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said while investigating the man, they moved the tracking tag to a trash barrel to see whether he would try to move it. When 24-year-old Jacob Robert Blum was caught on surveillance video doing so, he was stopped by law enforcement and admitted to placing the AirTag on the woman’s car.
Blum was charged with stalking, a Class C Felony, and for violating a no-contact order. He faces a potential mandatory minimum 7-day jail sentence for the no-contact violation and a sentence of up to 10 years with fines ranging from $1,370 to $13,660 for stalking, a Class C Felony.
Philippines Content Creator Has iPhone Stolen During a Date
Filipino content creator Philip Doria, known as “Fifi,” warned his followers in late May to remain alert at all times when using dating apps. Doria claims that someone he met on Tinder stole his iPhone 17 Pro. According to media outlet Interaksyon, the date claimed to be a student-athlete from De La Salle University and picked him up on a motorcycle.
While the pair were on their way to a coffee shop, Doria said, the date asked him to open a navigation app. He then placed his phone into a cellphone holder in front of the suspect, who repeatedly locked the device, requiring Doria to unlock it multiple times. It is believed that may have been a tactic to help the thief memorize the password. When the duo stopped for gas and Doria stepped off the motorcycle, his date sped away with the phone.
It was later discovered that the suspect had allegedly victimized at least 23 individuals since 2022 through similar schemes involving theft and acts of lasciviousness.
On July 31, the suspect was spotted in Makati City. Authorities later arrested the suspect at his workplace, a call center.
The Manila Police District later confirmed that the suspect had an existing warrant of arrest for acts of lasciviousness in Imus, Cavite, as well as another theft case in Makati.
Fifi also formally filed a complaint and urged fellow dating app users to exercise caution when meeting people they connect with online. The content creator also encouraged anyone who may have had similar experiences to report them to the authorities.
Duo Arrested for iPhone Theft, Crashing Into Truck
A dastardly duo in Laredo, Texas, was arrested at the end of July, after first stealing an iPhone from a party, the duo then crashed into a partygoer’s pickup truck. LMT Online reports the complainant was hosting a small gathering and had noticed unfamiliar people at the home. They were asked to leave, and then another guest noticed their iPhone was missing from a counter. A “loud bang” was then heard, which turned out to be the sound of one of the accused thieves crashing their Chevrolet Silverado into a parked Ford F-150. Laredo officers later traced the iPhone to another location, where it was found in the bed of the Silverado.
The suspects, ages 30 and 19, were charged with theft of property between $750 and $2,500. In addition, the 30-year-old was also charged with duty on striking an unattended vehicle, a class B misdemeanor.
