5 Crazy Ways People Have (Reportedly) Use AirTags to Track Others
It's been a couple of years since Apple released its first-ever tracking device: the AirTag. Fast forward to 2023, and now Apple's AirTags are one of the best options for people who love the Apple ecosystem and want a handy way to keep track of their stuff.
Related: You can get 23% off on AirTags when you buy four.
However, just like with any other tracking device, some folks have found more creative ways to use the AirTag — and not all of them are exactly legal. Read on for some of the craziest ways people have reportedly been using their AirTags.
Texas Man Uses AirTag to Find His Truck
Just a few weeks ago, a man from Texas had his truck stolen, but thankfully his AirTag came to the rescue.
According to what a police spokesperson told local news station KENS, the San Antonio man managed to locate his Chevy Silverado at a southeast side shopping center with the help of his Apple AirTags.
When the man arrived, he called the police, but instead of waiting for help to arrive, he approach the truck on his own. That's when he found the suspected thief inside, and, following a verbal confrontation where the other man showed him a gun, the truck owner shot him dead in what he claimed was self-defense. The alleged thief was rushed to the hospital but unfortunately passed away later that afternoon.
"If your vehicle is stolen, I know it's frustrating," San Antonio Police spokesman Nick Soliz said. "But please do not take matters into your own hands like this."
Man Tracks Down Luggage and Finds the Thief Wearing His Clothes
Using an AirTag to track your bags or luggage is a pretty common thing to do now. Ideally, you'll never have any issues with your stuff at the airport, but when you do, an AirTag can be a big help in tracking down lost luggage.
Unfortunately, sometimes that happens with a twist. For instance, after traveling from Los Angeles, California, to Atlanta, Georgia, Jameel Reid waited for more than half an hour for his luggage to arrive at the destination terminal. When it didn't show up, he decided to track down the AirTag that he had hidden in one of his bags.
When he pulled out his iPhone, he discovered his luggage had left the airport. As he was concluding that it must have been stolen, it suddenly appeared to be coming back to the terminal.
As Atlanta's WSB-TV reported, Reid contacted airport security and continued tracking his bag using the AirTag and his iPhone. He quickly came across the thief — an alleged homeless man who was already wearing his clothes.
Reid recorded the encounter on his iPhone, where he can be heard saying, “This silver one right here? I have a tracking device in here and I tracked it here to you. And you have my shirt on...that’s insane. My shirt ... and my jeans?”
The man didn't lose any time trying out Reid's new wardrobe, but the police came soon enough and handcuffed the perpetrator.
People Are Using AirTags to Track Possible Victims
Probably one of the scariest ways people have reportedly used AirTags is to stalk potential victims and targets for theft.
While most folks use Apple's tracker to keep dibs on their own belongings, criminals have found a way AirTags can help them steal cars more efficiently.
As we reported in late 2021, the York Regional Police Department, north of Toronto, Canada was one of the first law enforcement agencies to discover this problem, noting that they were investigating five different cases of car thieves placing AirTags on vehicles in places like mall parking lots so they could follow them to their homes and steal them under cover of darkness. It seems to be an ongoing problem in the Greater Toronto Area, although at least one car owner used AirTags to his advantage to recover his Range Rover after it was stolen from his driveway one night.
Sadly, it's not just vehicles that crooks are after. AirTags can also make it super easy for people to find out where you live, where you go daily, and at what times you're usually alone.
The good news is that your iPhone should notify you when there's an unknown AirTag moving around with you, as this seventeen-year-old girl discovered when visiting Disney World. Apple has even released an app to help Android users be aware of any unwanted AirTags. Be safe out there, and keep an eye on your phone.
Someone Tracked a Sports Illustrated Model With an AirTag
While being a model surely has its benefits, one of the biggest downsides is having to deal with bad people in your life.
That was the case for Nader, a Sports Illustrated model who shared on Instagram the story of how she found an AirTag in her coat. Nader said that she left her coat on a chair for a few moments — enough time for a stalker to place an AirTag in her pocket.
Afterward, Nader took her coat and carried on with her through the rest of the day. She started bar-hopping that night, and it wasn't until the end of the night, when she arrived home, that her iPhone told her that an unknown AirTag had accompanied her travels.
She found the small device in her coat pocket. Someone had tracked all her movements for at least five hours during that day. It's truly scary, but thankfully Apple has improved its anti-stalking features since then, so hopefully it won't happen again to her — or anyone else.
Dog Gets Rescued Thanks to an AirTag
To end on a lighter note, we'll finish up with a bit of good news about how people are actually using AirTags for positive things.
The News Economy Culture Information Reporting website reports how a dog owner managed to find their one-year-old puppy thanks to an AirTag he had on his collar.
Following a night of heavy rain in San Bernardino, California, the small dog managed to get out of the house and fell into a drain. The poor guy ended up washed away, traveling over a kilometer from his original location.
The owner didn't just stand there and wait, though. The small puppy, named Seamus, had an AirTag on his collar. The owners managed to locate him, and, with the help of the firefighters, they found the dog unharmed and "in good spirits."
Of course, it's worth mentioning that Apple doesn't recommend that you use your AirTags to track down pets or children, but that's because you can't necessarily rely on them in those cases. Pets might move away from the reach of the Find My network, or they could easily drop the AirTag. Basically, it's best not to trust the life of a person or animal solely to a tracking device.
Still, had it not been for the AirTag, who knows what would've happened to little Seamus?
Use AirTags Responsibly
There are clearly a lot of ways to use your AirTags, and not all of them are necessarily legal or ethical.
There are some basic rules to live by:
- Push yourself to use your AirTags responsibly
- Help people when you find a lost AirTag
- Immediately get rid of any strange AirTags that you find in your personal belongings
Be safe out there, and use technology responsibly.