Baggage thief arrested thanks to popular Apple AirTag

A Florida airline employee has been arrested after an Apple AirTag helped police locate a missing suitcase. The suitcase had disappeared during transport.

Apple AirTag locates missing suitcase

Travelers are increasingly taking it with them on a trip: the Apple AirTag. The tracker is a gadget to track down your lost items. You can then trace it in the Find My app, an app that is installed by default on your iPhone.

Last month, a traveler reported to the Florida airport that her luggage never arrived at its destination. The briefcase — containing items worth more than $1,600 — was reported lost/stolen.

Because she had put an Apple AirTag in the suitcase, she could continue to track the location of the suitcase. She saw that the tracker was last active in the Kathy Court area in Mary Esther. The small town is then 16 kilometers west of the airport.

The case was reconsidered a month later when a second traveler reported the theft. The traveler reported that on August 9, more than $15,000 worth of jewelry and other items had been stolen from his luggage.

The local authorities checked with the airport which employees are living in Kathy Court and found a 19-year-old man. In his home they found the missing jewelry that had been reported on August 9. The other belongings were not found. The man – an airline subcontractor – admitted the theft.

AirTag is back in stock

Last week we wrote that the AirTag is sold out almost everywhere, but the tracker is available again at various stores. For example, you can order at Bol.com and Belsimpel:

Apple’s tracker is becoming more and more popular. The AirTag uses encrypted bluetooth technology to send its location to the owner’s Find My app. Remarkably, the accessory does not require any data to work. The AirTag picks up signals from a nearby Apple device. This way you know the location of your bag, suitcase or wallet from a great distance.