AirTags on Both Sides of the Law, Police Recover $200K in Stolen Apple Gear
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We periodically check in with national and international police blotters. This week’s reports include several AirTag-related arrests and a California Highway Patrol stop that turned up $200,000 in stolen Apple gear.
AirTag Crime Blotter
As first reported by AppleInsider, there were several AirTag-related crimes to report this time around, once again showing how Apple’s devices continue to appear in modern policing — both as tools of recovery and instruments of misuse.
Illinois AirTag Stalker Arrested
An Illinois man was arrested in late October after a woman discovered AirTags hidden in her purse and in two locations in her vehicle. An unnamed 63-year-old Alton man was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking.
The suspect, the woman’s estranged husband, had allegedly placed the AirTags in the woman’s vehicle and purse in an attempt to track her in violation of a protection order filed in September and extended twice last month. The protection order was filed after the suspect allegedly carried out actions that made the victim fear for her safety.
The victim contacted the Alton Police Department after discovering an Apple AirTag concealed in her wallet and another in the center console of her vehicle. The victim continued to hear a “chirping sound,” only to discover another AirTag stashed in the vehicle’s glove compartment.
All three devices were found to be connected to the defendant’s iCloud accounts and phone number. The suspect has been ordered to remain in jail.
Man robbed of AirPods outside of AutoZone
In Hesperia, California, a man was assaulted and robbed of his AirPods outside an AutoZone at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time on October 28, according to Victor Valley News.
“The victim was approached by two unknown males in front of AutoZone, Karina Zepeda, Sheriff’s Service Specialist with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, told VVNG. “The two males punched the victim multiple times, pulled out a knife, and took the victim’s AirPods.”
Suspect descriptions were not available as of publication.
According to VVNG, the investigation remains open, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Hesperia Police Department at 760-947-1500.
AirTag Leads Cops to Chop Shop
NBC 5 DFW reports that in late October, a Dallas woman, Maria Pena, had her truck stolen from her apartment complex’s parking lot. The woman had hidden an AirTag in the truck and followed it to a location that was revealed to be a “Chop Shop” where stolen vehicles are taken to be parted out. The discovery led to police not only recovering the woman’s truck but also recovering several other vehicles.
The bust led to the arrests of four men on felony theft charges, along with a fifth man who was arrested on unrelated charges.
Pena said her truck was stolen from her residence off Churchill Green Drive earlier this month. Unfortunately, this was not the first time her vehicle had been stolen. After a previous theft, Pena hid an AirTag inside the vehicle.
“It works, it really does,” she said. “It doesn’t update 100 percent on the spot, but eventually it will update.”
Approximately a week after the theft, the AirTag showed a location in the 1100 block of Haymarket Road. Pena contacted the Dallas police, who launched a stakeout in the area. One well-placed AirTag ultimately led to the arrest of five suspects and the recovery of multiple stolen vehicles, including Pena’s truck. Although it had already been stripped by then, a trailer attached to the truck was also recovered.
CHP Cops Recover Stolen Apple Products During Traffic Stop
In non-AirTag-related thievery, a California Highway Patrol traffic stop in early October led to the recovery of $200,000 in stolen Apple products, according to CBS News.
CHP had received a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) alert for a white van that had been involved in a burglary in Sparks, Nevada, roughly 17 miles east of the California state line. The suspects had broken into a commercial vehicle at a truck stop and stolen a large number of Apple products.
With the assistance of an LA County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, officers located the van on the 5 Freeway, near Western Avenue, between Burbank and Glendale, at approximately 3:40 p.m.
Officers searched the van and found around $200,000 worth of Apple products, arresting both occupants on charges of theft. The Los Angeles Times reports the products originated in Arizona.
Police say investigations remain ongoing in several of these cases, as Apple devices continue to surface in everything from cargo thefts to personal disputes.
