If your packages are getting stolen, a California woman has a new solution that could help you track down the culprit.After repeatedly having packages taken from her post office box, the woman mailed herself one with an Apple AirTag inside. That package was also stolen, so she tracked the thief’s location in the AirTag app and reported it to the Santa Barbara sherrif’s office on August 19.Law enforcement then went to the location, where they found the package in question along with parcels from over a dozen additional victims. They arrested a 27-year-old woman and 37-year-old man for a laundry list of crimes, including possession of checks with intent to commit fraud, fictitious checks, identity theft, credit card theft, and conspiracy. “The sheriff’s office would like to commend the victim for her proactive solution, while highlighting that she also exercised appropriate caution by contacting law enforcement to safely and successfully apprehend the suspects,” says the Santa Barbara sherrif’s office. They are continuing to investigate the case and contact other package theft victims.AirTags have helped locate missing airport baggage and stolen cars in the past. However, criminals also use them for nefarious reasons, such as finding cars to steal and stalking people by slipping a device into one of their possessions. Apple addressed some of these issues with a 2022 software update, which helps Android users know if they’ve being tracked. But the company currently faces a class action lawsuit over its technology’s alleged role in helping stalkers.
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A new version of the AirTag is reportedly in the works for a 2025 launch. It promises an improved chip with more precise location tracking.
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About Emily Dreibelbis
Senior Reporter
Prior to starting at PCMag, I worked in Big Tech on the West Coast for six years. From that time, I got an up-close view of how software engineering teams work, how good products are launched, and the way business strategies shift over time. After I’d had my fill, I changed course and enrolled in a master’s program for journalism at Northwestern University in Chicago. I’m now a reporter with a focus on electric vehicles and artificial intelligence.
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