Canadian car thieves use AirTag, Apple’s bluetooth tracker, to track high-end vehicles. According to the police, the criminals hide the tag when the car is parked in a parking lot. They then follow the owner of the vehicle to his home.
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York Regional Police (Canada) ensure thieves actively use AirTag, Apple’s bluetooth beacons, to track the cars they want to get hold of. “Since September 2021, officers have investigated five incidents where suspects placed small tracking devices on high-end vehicles in order to locate and steal them”, announced the Canadian police in a press release.
The photos communicated by the authorities show that it is indeed the tracker of the Californian brand. Apparently thieves hide the tags in areas out of sight of drivers, such as in the fuel cap. Vehicles, generally high-end machines, are approached when they are parked in the parking lot of a supermarket for example. In a few seconds, the tracker is placed on the car.
Thieves use Apple AirTag to steal cars
Once the beacon has been carefully placed on the car, criminals just have to follow their target to their home. The location of an AirTag is indeed displayed in the Locate application integrated by default on iPhone and iPad. To get a precise location, however, you must use an iPhone 11, iPhone 12 or iPhone 13.
The cars are then stolen directly in the driveway of their owner. In a private alley, out of sight, the task of thieves is made easier. “Once inside, an electronic device, generally used by mechanics for reprogramming, is connected to the on-board diagnostic port under the dashboard” to bypass security measures.
On the same subject: An AirTag allowed the police to find a stolen scooter
To avoid abuse, Apple has integrated security how its Airtag works. If a malicious individual slipped an AirTag into your belongings without your knowledge to track you, your iPhone will notify you through a notification. We therefore invite you to be careful if you receive a notification of this ilk on your iPhone when you are near your car.
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