Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Apple created the AirTag specifically to help us track our belongings, and that’s exactly what a Denver man did after buying the device.
Frank Kortyka planted an AirTag in his bike, as he wanted to be sure nobody stole it. And, if the worst happens and someone runs away with the bike, he at least has a chance to recover it.
Denver isn’t exactly the kind of place where you’d want to leave your bike unprotected. Statistics show that thieves stole close to 570 bikes this year alone. Out of them, only 13 were recovered.
A tracking device is pretty much the only way to find a stolen bike, as the police clearly have a hard time dealing with this worrying trend. The AirTag fits this purpose like a glove given its small form factor. As such, when someone stole Kortyka’s bike earlier this month, the owner could watch every step of the thief in real-time.
Kortyka recalls leaving his bike in front of a coffee shop just a few feet away from where he was. Truth be told, the man was playing a very risky game, as the bike was parked without locking it up.
The moment he noticed the bike was gone, the man pulled the iPhone out of his pocket and launched the Find My app. AirTags connect to the Find My network using nearby iPhones – the device does not sport a GPS sensor but uses surrounding smartphones to transmit its locations. Given iPhones are among the most popular devices in the world, and chances are an AirTag would communicate with a master device at all times.
The track pointed the bike owner to a nearby apartment complex, so he rushed to the location and reached out to the local staff. After inspecting security video footage and seeing someone walking in with his bike, he called the police and showed them the evidence.
Minutes later, the police officers were already at the thief’s door. Using the active connection to the AirTag, the bike owner triggered a sound alert on the device, therefore determining precisely that his bike was inside. Police rushed into the apartment, arrested the thief, and recovered the bike.
Police warn that AirTags can indeed help determine the location of stolen goods, but on the other hand, nobody should try to recover them on their own.
Some people figured this out the hard way after confronting thieves. However, someone who steals your bike or car might not necessarily have a problem doing worse things, so reaching out to the police is the best thing to do. Law enforcement also recommends people call 911 whenever they discover an AirTag and believe they might be in danger.
Denver isn’t exactly the kind of place where you’d want to leave your bike unprotected. Statistics show that thieves stole close to 570 bikes this year alone. Out of them, only 13 were recovered.
A tracking device is pretty much the only way to find a stolen bike, as the police clearly have a hard time dealing with this worrying trend. The AirTag fits this purpose like a glove given its small form factor. As such, when someone stole Kortyka’s bike earlier this month, the owner could watch every step of the thief in real-time.
Kortyka recalls leaving his bike in front of a coffee shop just a few feet away from where he was. Truth be told, the man was playing a very risky game, as the bike was parked without locking it up.
The moment he noticed the bike was gone, the man pulled the iPhone out of his pocket and launched the Find My app. AirTags connect to the Find My network using nearby iPhones – the device does not sport a GPS sensor but uses surrounding smartphones to transmit its locations. Given iPhones are among the most popular devices in the world, and chances are an AirTag would communicate with a master device at all times.
The track pointed the bike owner to a nearby apartment complex, so he rushed to the location and reached out to the local staff. After inspecting security video footage and seeing someone walking in with his bike, he called the police and showed them the evidence.
Minutes later, the police officers were already at the thief’s door. Using the active connection to the AirTag, the bike owner triggered a sound alert on the device, therefore determining precisely that his bike was inside. Police rushed into the apartment, arrested the thief, and recovered the bike.
Police warn that AirTags can indeed help determine the location of stolen goods, but on the other hand, nobody should try to recover them on their own.
Some people figured this out the hard way after confronting thieves. However, someone who steals your bike or car might not necessarily have a problem doing worse things, so reaching out to the police is the best thing to do. Law enforcement also recommends people call 911 whenever they discover an AirTag and believe they might be in danger.
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