Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Apple
An AirTag planted into a stolen vehicle helped the police locate and stop a truck carrying not one but two cars reported as missing in Ontario.
The Ontario Provincial Police revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that an Apple tracker inside one of the stolen vehicles provided the officers with permanent location information. The Highway Safety Division officers followed the coordinates shared in real-time and came across a truck carrying a container with a mysterious cargo.
After pulling over the transport truck on Highway 401, the officers discovered a stolen pickup truck, which was carrying the AirTag, and a second vehicle reported as stolen. The 59-year-old driver was arrested.
The AirTag connects to nearby iPhones to broadcast its location to a master device. Owners configure the AirTag with an Apple ID, and the device then uses the Internet connection of iPhones in its proximity to show its location in the Find My application on devices where the same account is used.
However, the AirTag can't share its location if it doesn't find an iPhone nearby. It uses Bluetooth to connect to the smartphone, so in this case, the tracker either connected to iPhones in other cars on the highway or the truck driver owned an Apple device, making it a piece of cake for the police to track him down because of the permanent connection.
AirTags use a CR2032 battery and don't need recharging. They provide a battery life of approximately six months per unit.
Police worldwide recommend car owners to buy and plant AirTags in their cars to help the officers with location information whenever they notice the vehicle is missing. The AirTag can be hidden anywhere in the cabin, given its small form factor, but here's a list of five places where it'd be difficult for the thief to find it.
AirTags also come with built-in anti-stalking protection, so they can generate alerts to nearby iPhones when they're moving with them. In today's case, the truck driver could have received a notification on his iPhone, alerting them that an AirTag is in proximity and tracking its location. However, considering he was shipping two stolen vehicles, he didn't have the time to search for the hidden tracker.
Apple is already working on the second-generation AirTag, with the launch expected to take place in 2025. The new device will feature improved precision and battery life, though Apple currently believes the existing model sports a complete feature package that can hardly be improved. It's one of the reasons the company is not in a rush to release the new generation, waiting for the current stocks to clear out before taking the wraps off an overhauled model. The debut could take place next year in the spring or in the fall.
After pulling over the transport truck on Highway 401, the officers discovered a stolen pickup truck, which was carrying the AirTag, and a second vehicle reported as stolen. The 59-year-old driver was arrested.
The AirTag connects to nearby iPhones to broadcast its location to a master device. Owners configure the AirTag with an Apple ID, and the device then uses the Internet connection of iPhones in its proximity to show its location in the Find My application on devices where the same account is used.
However, the AirTag can't share its location if it doesn't find an iPhone nearby. It uses Bluetooth to connect to the smartphone, so in this case, the tracker either connected to iPhones in other cars on the highway or the truck driver owned an Apple device, making it a piece of cake for the police to track him down because of the permanent connection.
AirTags use a CR2032 battery and don't need recharging. They provide a battery life of approximately six months per unit.
Police worldwide recommend car owners to buy and plant AirTags in their cars to help the officers with location information whenever they notice the vehicle is missing. The AirTag can be hidden anywhere in the cabin, given its small form factor, but here's a list of five places where it'd be difficult for the thief to find it.
AirTags also come with built-in anti-stalking protection, so they can generate alerts to nearby iPhones when they're moving with them. In today's case, the truck driver could have received a notification on his iPhone, alerting them that an AirTag is in proximity and tracking its location. However, considering he was shipping two stolen vehicles, he didn't have the time to search for the hidden tracker.
Apple is already working on the second-generation AirTag, with the launch expected to take place in 2025. The new device will feature improved precision and battery life, though Apple currently believes the existing model sports a complete feature package that can hardly be improved. It's one of the reasons the company is not in a rush to release the new generation, waiting for the current stocks to clear out before taking the wraps off an overhauled model. The debut could take place next year in the spring or in the fall.
On Jan 25, #WhitbyOPP recover 2 stolen vehs on #Hwy401. An AirTag planted by the owner of pick up truck was traced to a container on a transport. The recovery led officers to another stolen vehicle from the same container. A 59-year-old Saint-Leonard, QC man now faces charges.^sn pic.twitter.com/USfkn8eNt1
— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) January 27, 2024
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