Apple AirTag Reunites Owner with Stolen Motorcycle, May Have Also Became a Theft Deterrent
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A Benton, Washington resident had his motorcycle stolen earlier this year. After counting it as a loss, Brandon vowed that such a theft would never happen again. How did he protect his next bike? He didn’t rely on a lock or a fancy security system. He turned to the Apple AirTag as a way to protect his motorcycle from future theft.
Using an AirTag turned out to be a very prudent decision. Instead of panicking, he fired up the Find My app on his iPhone to see if he could locate his motorcycle. Much to his surprise, he was able to see on the map that his bike was only a few blocks away.
He drove to the bike’s location, which had been updated by the Find My app only three minutes earlier.
Brandon discovered that the thieves had abandoned the bike without any damage. He called the police, filed a report, and was able to drive his bike home.
It is not known why the thieves ditched the bike, but it may be possible the AirTag played a role. Apple’s AirTags have a safety feature that alerts people when an AirTag is traveling with someone who is not the owner.
If the thieves had an iPhone, they could have been spooked by one of these alerts from the AirTag. Upon receiving this alert, the thieves would have known right away they were being tracked. Instead of risking getting caught, they likely would have chosen to ditch the bike.
The AirTags may not be the sole reason for this failed theft. It’s also possible they could not bypass the ignition lock and gave up on stealing the bike.
Regardless of why the bike was abandoned, the AirTag was critical in finding the bike. Without the Find My app and AirTag, Brandon would have no idea where his bike was. He likely would have to wait for someone to report the abandoned bike and for the police to contact him. During that time, someone else could have attempted to steal the bike or parts from it. With the AirTag, Brandon was able to retrieve his bike right away without damage or further incident.
