Advertisement 1

Clearing the AirTag: Apple’s new gizmo linked to car thefts

The little tracking devices are allegedly being used to monitor high-end rigs

Article content

Investigators with York Regional Police are cautioning residents they have identified a troubling new method being used by robbers planning to help themselves to high-end vehicles. Apparently, some thieves have taken to hiding an Apple AirTag somewhere on a vehicle for purposes of tracking so they know exactly where to locate the vehicle at a later date.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Since September of this year, officers say they have investigated no fewer than 5 incidents in which suspects have allegedly placed small tracking devices on expensive vehicles in order to later locate and steal them. Apple AirTags seem to be the tech of choice, placed in out-of-sight areas on the target vehicle when they are parked in public places such as a shopping mall. Rather than boost the car or truck in the well-lit and heavy traffic area, thieves can use the AirTag to track the targeted vehicle to the victim’s residence where it can be stolen from the driveway.

York Police have published a number of photos showing potential places in which the AirTags could be hidden, but we are not reposting them here for fear of spreading nefarious ideas. Suffice it to say that AirTags measure 3 centimetres in diameter and are just 8 millimetres thick. Picture those small mint wafers you may have eaten as a child and you’ve got the basic idea. They cost about forty bucks each.

Article content
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content
Recommended from Editorial
  1. Russell OPP stop driver they can't see, city police spot nearly a dozen impaired drivers
    Russell OPP stop driver they can't see, city police spot nearly a dozen impaired drivers
  2. Living the High Life: Impaired driver tries to pay for fuel with weed
    Living the High Life: Impaired driver tries to pay for fuel with weed

If you’re wondering, AirTags use nearby Apple devices as crowdsourced beacons to ping their location, which explains how they can work even long after the thief has deposited it in your car. It’s anonymous and encrypted, so only the owner can track a particular AirTag. Problem is, in this case, its owner wants your car. Still, a rogue AirTag should broadcast its presence — either via a list of Bluetooth devices on your iPhone or by playing a sound. If the vehicle’s owner is an Android user, the former is unlikely to happen; and few people will hear the faint beeps of an AirTag out in the driveway.

Once these thieves have their sights set on your rig, cops say they tend to use typical car stealing tools to make off with your vehicle. These days, after gaining access to the cabin with traditional items like a screwdriver or Slim Jim, that often includes an electronic device which can nab the car’s electronic signature (for want of a better term) via the OBD port. This is used to quickly program a key and drive away.

Between this and catalytic converter thefts, it’s enough to make anyone’s head hurt (or at least wish for universal indoor parking). Stay vigilant.

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers