Posted on 12/07/2021 8:17:36 AM PST by Red Badger
In brief: When Apple launched the AirTags earlier this year, they seemed like a helpful tool to avoid losing valuable items like laptops, phones, tablets, or anything else. However, car thieves are now using them to track high-end vehicles, showing them the location of their target in real-time.
From September 2021 until now, the York Regional Police have already encountered five cases where suspects used Apple AirTags to track vehicles they were allegedly planning to steal. Thieves put the trackers on publically parked cars and situate the device in out-of-sight places, including trailer hitches, bumpers, and gas cap area. Thieves can then track the vehicle until they find it in a suitable location to steal, like the victim's residence.
Hiding Apple's AirTags in a car is only possible because of its compact shape and size. Its round shape and small dimension make hiding the tracker easier and quicker than actually stealing the car in a high-risk area. Applying an adhesive magnet to it makes placing it on any out-of-the-way place on the vehicle easy and fast.
To prevent AirTag owners from using Apple's tracker to stalk others, the manufacturer implemented countermeasures to hinder those who try. If your car has a thief's AirTag hidden somewhere and you have an iPhone, you can detect it in your vicinity. Even if you don't own an iPhone, the tracker will start emitting an alarm sound sometime between eight and 24 hours after moving from the owner's vicinity.
This time window is still more than enough time to steal the car, but you can use other measures to prevent thieves from succeeding in their objective. A couple of examples include parking your car in the garage instead of your driveway or using steering wheel locks to prevent them from driving, even if they can start it.
Best way to prevent car theft is to remove wire from base to distributor cap overnight or when parked for long in one place. When a thief can’t get the car started, it is doubtful he will pop the hood to find the problem.
LOL!!
The tag in the captioned image appears to say “Made in China”.
What could go wrong?
Meh...this reads like a hoax.
Our NextDoor site yesterday had an article saying that these Air Tags are being used by people to mark the cars of (for example) young drivers who might be later kidnapped into sex trafficking operations.
NextDoor is a cesspool.
It was reported on the TV News yesterday morning................
Distributor cap?
What distributor cap?
I have 4 vehicles 2002 to 2014, not a distributor cap amongst them!.............
You can use it to beat the carjacker.................IF HE DOESN’T SHOOT YOU FIRST!..................
I was thinking back to my younger days when they did have distributor caps. That’s what I used to do.
I was thinking back to my younger days when they did have distributor caps. That’s what I used to do.
Three of my cars have those electronic key fobs that send out a signal to the car’s computer when trying to start it.
If they are not ‘present’ then it will not even turn over the engine....................
It was reported on the TV News yesterday morning...
The definitely makes it true.
West Seneca Police warn of Apple AirTags being hidden on cars
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