SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A Southern California woman fed up with her packages getting stolen out of her post office box sent an Apple AirTag to the address and cleverly tracked down the suspected thief, police said.
The woman had had several items stolen from her mailbox at the Los Alamos Post Office already when she thought of the idea, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday. Apple’s $29 AirTags have become popular items since their 2021 release, helping users keep tabs on the location of anything from their lost keys to wallets and luggage.
On Monday morning, sheriff’s deputies were called to the post office where the woman told officials her mail had been stolen again — including the package with the AirTag.
Law enforcement tracked the AirTag to a block in Santa Maria, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) from the post office and arrested two suspects — a 27-year-old woman from Santa Maria and a 37-year-old man from Riverside.
They located the package with the AirTag among the victim’s mail, as well as items believed to have been stolen from more than a dozen other people. The woman declined to be identified, the sheriff’s department said.
The two suspects were booked in jail on charges of possession of checks with intent to commit fraud, conspiracy, and identity and credit card theft. The 37-year-old was also booked on a burglary charge and several other theft warrants from Riverside County.
The sheriff’s department commended the mail theft victim for contacting law enforcement so they could apprehend the suspects rather than attempting to contact them on her own.
In a recent incident in California, a woman used an Apple AirTag to catch a thief who had been stealing her mail. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, had been noticing that some of her important mail was going missing from her mailbox. Frustrated and determined to catch the culprit, she decided to take matters into her own hands by using the latest technology to track down the thief.
The Apple AirTag is a small tracking device that can be attached to items such as keys, wallets, or bags to help users locate them if they are lost or stolen. The device uses Bluetooth technology to connect to the user’s iPhone, allowing them to track the item’s location in real-time.
After attaching an AirTag to a piece of mail that she suspected would be stolen, the woman waited for the thief to strike again. Sure enough, a few days later, she received an alert on her phone indicating that the AirTag was on the move. She quickly opened the Find My app on her iPhone and was able to track the location of the stolen mail in real-time.
The woman followed the signal to a nearby apartment complex where she saw a man rummaging through her mail. She immediately called the police and provided them with the location of the thief. Within minutes, the authorities arrived at the scene and apprehended the suspect, who was found in possession of several pieces of stolen mail.
Thanks to the quick thinking and resourcefulness of the woman, the thief was caught red-handed and brought to justice. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of taking proactive measures to protect one’s belongings and property.
Using tracking devices like the Apple AirTag can be an effective way to deter thieves and recover stolen items. In this case, the woman was able to not only catch the thief but also prevent further thefts from occurring in the future.
As technology continues to advance, it is becoming easier for individuals to protect themselves and their belongings from theft. Whether it’s using tracking devices like the Apple AirTag or installing security cameras around your property, there are plenty of options available to help safeguard against theft.
In conclusion, the California woman’s use of an Apple AirTag to catch a thief stealing her mail serves as a powerful example of how technology can be used to protect oneself and bring criminals to justice. By staying vigilant and utilizing the tools at our disposal, we can all play a role in preventing crime and keeping our communities safe.
