AirTags get a lot of bad press, used for heinous crimes like stalking. But sometimes, they help track down the bad guys. In Seattle, on Thursday, a suspect was put behind bars after the police used an AirTag to track down a stolen SUV.
Police officers responded to a call from a distressed homeowner whose family member had seen a man inside their house. The man stole the callers' SUV and purse.
Inside the purse, however, was an AirTag which allowed the victim to track the purse exactly to the thief's location and alert the police officers of where to find the missing purse.
While the officers attended the AirTag location, there was another report, this time of road rage, and the description matched the stolen SUV.
"About half an hour later, Seattle police also received a report of a man who was shot while he was sitting in his vehicle near Third Avenue NW and NW 75th Street. Police said the description of the suspect's vehicle also matched the homeowner's stolen vehicle. The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital." according to the report by King 5 Seattle (opens in new tab).
The suspect has been taken to county jail for investigation of assault and burglary.
Apple AirTag saves the day
AirTags are fantastic little bits of technology, but they're also incredibly dangerous. Just this week, Apple and Google teamed up to stop unwanted tracking.
"Location-tracking devices help users find personal items like their keys, purse, luggage, and more through crowdsourced finding networks. However, they can also be misused for unwanted tracking of individuals," an Apple press release stated (opens in new tab).
Luckily, in this instance, the AirTag helped track a suspect rather than a victim, helping the police arrest the suspect before more damage could be done. So not only are AirTags good for tracking your stolen bags and purses, but they also help when you lose your luggage at the airport. These little white pucks are quickly becoming a necessity in our daily lives.
