AirTag helps find stolen motorcycle, may have acted as a deterrent

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS edited August 2021
A Renton, Washington resident was able to locate his motorcycle using AirTag after it had been stolen earlier Tuesday morning.

AirTag helps locate a stolen motorcycle
AirTag helps locate a stolen motorcycle


Brandon has experience with motorcycle theft, having had his bike stolen earlier in the year. So, when Apple announced the AirTag, he hid one away within his motorcycle the first chance he had.

On Tuesday morning, his motorcycle was missing from its usual parking spot in the apartment parking lot. After checking the Find My app, Brandon saw the motorcycle was only a few blocks away.

He drove to the location to see if he could spot the motorcycle. The Find My app reported the AirTag had last updated its location three minutes before, so either the AirTag or the bike had to be nearby.

Once Brandon arrived, he found that the thieves had abandoned the motorcycle. He notified the police, filed a statement, and the bike was recovered without any damage.

There isn't any way to know for sure why the thieves abandoned the motorcycle, but Brandon told AppleInsider that the AirTag may have notified them that a tracker was following them. The AirTag notifies anyone with an iPhone if it is traveling with someone that isn't the owner.

The Apple AirTag is a small tracking device that can fit in bags, on pet collars, or be used to track things like motorcycles. It isn't advertised as an anti-theft device, but the tracker is useful for finding things if they go missing for any reason.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    Very fortunate they didn’t trash it in vengeance.
    jahbladefred1
  • Reply 2 of 10
    hexclockhexclock Posts: 1,250member
    Hey Brandon, stop leaving your keys in the bike. 
  • Reply 3 of 10
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,093member
    Theres a lot of reasons why the thieves abandoned it.  Perhaps they were just unable to start the engine.  

    Many years ago I've had my motorcycle stolen only to find it right around the block.  They couldn't disable the ignition lock and just left it there.  

    That being said, I purchased six AirTags and recently used four of them in luggage on an overseas trip.  It was pretty amazing having the ability to monitor where my luggage was in the airport.  My plan is to attach some to some high-value items in the event they're stolen.

    AirTags will be huge once it hits critical-mass.
    StrangeDaysbloggerblogravnorodom
  • Reply 4 of 10
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,463member
    I am shipping my bike from coast to coast and I'm currently dealing with an incompetent shipping company that misses their promised dates 100% of the time and never returns a call or gives you updates. Luckily I have placed two AirTags, one in the bike, the other in the luggage, and can track where the bike is at at all times. Worth every penny!!
    viclauyycfred1
  • Reply 5 of 10
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,463member
    sflocal said:
    Theres a lot of reasons why the thieves abandoned it.  Perhaps they were just unable to start the engine.  

    Many years ago I've had my motorcycle stolen only to find it right around the block.  They couldn't disable the ignition lock and just left it there.  

    That being said, I purchased six AirTags and recently used four of them in luggage on an overseas trip.  It was pretty amazing having the ability to monitor where my luggage was in the airport.  My plan is to attach some to some high-value items in the event they're stolen.

    AirTags will be huge once it hits critical-mass.
    I especially like how the AirTags trigger at different times, makes you see where one was a few minutes before the other.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,093member
    bloggerblog said:
    sflocal said:
    Theres a lot of reasons why the thieves abandoned it.  Perhaps they were just unable to start the engine.  

    Many years ago I've had my motorcycle stolen only to find it right around the block.  They couldn't disable the ignition lock and just left it there.  

    That being said, I purchased six AirTags and recently used four of them in luggage on an overseas trip.  It was pretty amazing having the ability to monitor where my luggage was in the airport.  My plan is to attach some to some high-value items in the event they're stolen.

    AirTags will be huge once it hits critical-mass.
    I especially like how the AirTags trigger at different times, makes you see where one was a few minutes before the other.
    I just came back from a big SCUBA diving trip with friends and we had a 10-hour+ layover.  Our flight was delayed a couple times, and as our luggage had some high-dollar value attached to it due to the gear we had, to the amazement of my friends watching on my iPhone, we could see where my bags were at any given point in the airport, and knowing that all the bags were loaded into the airplane.  It's pretty amazing and provides great peace of mind.  
    DnykjpRfC6fnBshucom2000
  • Reply 7 of 10
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    Apple should be able to tell which iPhones were on the same route of the AirTag, instead of telling the thief that he/she was being tracked.  Stop crime or not, Apple?
  • Reply 8 of 10
    jeff fieldsjeff fields Posts: 159member
    ivanh said:
    Apple should be able to tell which iPhones were on the same route of the AirTag, instead of telling the thief that he/she was being tracked.  Stop crime or not, Apple?
    Did you think through all the issues here for ten seconds before posting this? Clearly not. You might want to do that. I'll give you a hint: think about stalking.
  • Reply 9 of 10
    DnykjpRfC6fnBsDnykjpRfC6fnBs Posts: 69member
    sflocal said:
    sflocal said:
    Theres a lot of reasons why the thieves abandoned it.  Perhaps they were just unable to start the engine.  

    Many years ago I've had my motorcycle stolen only to find it right around the block.  They couldn't disable the ignition lock and just left it there.  

    That being said, I purchased six AirTags and recently used four of them in luggage on an overseas trip.  It was pretty amazing having the ability to monitor where my luggage was in the airport.  My plan is to attach some to some high-value items in the event they're stolen.

    AirTags will be huge once it hits critical-mass.
    I especially like how the AirTags trigger at different times, makes you see where one was a few minutes before the other.
    I just came back from a big SCUBA diving trip with friends and we had a 10-hour+ layover.  Our flight was delayed a couple times, and as our luggage had some high-dollar value attached to it due to the gear we had, to the amazement of my friends watching on my iPhone, we could see where my bags were at any given point in the airport, and knowing that all the bags were loaded into the airplane.  It's pretty amazing and provides great peace of mind.  
    Yes it is a great peace of mind. Our 19 year old took a flight to see their brother. When we got up to SeaTac airport, she thought for sure she was going to have to buy a cheap pair of headphones as she thought she left her AirPod Pros at home. Luckily, I had bought a 4 pack of AirTags and one was attached to her AirPod Pros case. Ended up being buried in her purse. I know this isn’t a very exciting story except for us, but she was happy as all get out as it saved her $60. She is convinced now how well these things actually work. 
    edited August 2021
  • Reply 10 of 10
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    This is standard operating procedure. Steal a vehicle, hide it up for a few days to make sure they don't have a tracker. If it's still there a few days later, they take it to their storage place.
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