AirTag Leads to Partial Recovery of Clothes in Bizarre Luggage Theft
Adam Elements
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An AirTag placed in a West Coast airline passenger’s baggage helped the man recover his stolen suitcase from the thieves, who were already wearing his clothes.
It was August 22, 2025, and Daniel Scott had just flown into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from Salt Lake City. Once he was safely on the ground, he disembarked and walked to baggage claim, only to discover his suitcase was nowhere to be found.
Scott searched the carousels, but his suitcase was definitely missing. Airport staff assisted with the search, but it ultimately proved to be fruitless. However, suddenly Scott’s phone alerted him to an update from the AirTag that he’d previously hidden inside his luggage.
As Scott tracked his luggage, he saw it was leaving the airport and was heading to the LAX rideshare lot. He sprang into action. “I immediately started sprinting to the Uber lot,” he told NBC Los Angeles.
As he ran toward the rideshare lot, Scott saw the signal keep moving, across the street and beyond. By this time, he assumed (correctly) that his luggage had been stolen.
The trail stopped about half a mile away from the airport, at an abandoned building near the corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and 98th Street. Scott’s partner quickly called airport police.
Once the cops arrived, they shone their powerful flashlights into the building, revealing that there were several individuals lined up at the window. One of the scofflaws had already donned Scott’s shirt, pants, and even his shoes.
Police quickly cleared the scene, and Scott was able to examine his suitcase. The bag had been sliced open and its contents had been scattered across several rooms.
Sadly, Scott’s luggage was ruined, although he was able to recover around 90 percent of his belongings. He credits the AirTag with making the difference between a total and a partial loss, saying, “It just gave me a fighting chance to find my luggage and retrieve it. Craziest part of the trip — it was insane, absolutely.”
The AirTag
Apple’s AirTag went on sale in 2021, rapidly becoming a popular way to track personal items, including luggage. The coin-sized device allows a Find My network user to track it on the screen of their device, thanks to the AirTag’s ability to connect with nearby Apple devices, allowing the tracker’s movements to be reported in.
In 2024, travel site Kayak published a survey that found that 37 percent of US fliers were using AirTags or similar devices.
Later that same year, Apple announced that it was joining forces with several airlines to provide a system to track lost luggage by using AirTags. AirTag-using passengers can securely share the location of their tagged luggage with an airline. The shared tracking allows airline personnel to better locate lost luggage while ensuring that the shared tracking is terminated when the lost baggage is found or after a specific amount of time has passed.
In addition to Apple’s AirTags, any “Find My” Network-compatible tracking tag will work. There are now over 30 companies making compatible tags, including Chipolo, Eufy, Pebblebee, Targus, Orbit, and Swissdigital Design. Apple’s AirPods and Belkin’s Soundform earbuds also support Find My, allowing users to find their luggage even if they only have those earbuds packed inside.
