NYPD finds AirTag tracking its patrol car

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in iOS
Officers from the New York Police Department discovered one of Apple's AirTags hidden under their car's hood, but don't appear to have traced the owner.




The marked NYPD police car was reportedly patrolling the Queens borough of New York City when the device was found. According to the New York Daily News, no details are available about how the device was spotted.

It's likely that officers were alerted to its presence via Apple's anti-stalking features, which would have sent a notification to their iPhones. However they learned of its presence, a search of the hood uncovered the AirTag sealed in a small plastic bag.

"Please keep a heightened state of vigilance, in light of the anti-police sentiment we have seen not only here, but across the US," NYPD Chief of Housing Martine Materasso reportedly told officers. "Continue looking out for each other and be safe."

If anyone finds an AirTag, anywhere, they can hold it next to their iPhone and read off the serial number. When asked by any law enforcement officers, Apple will match that serial number to the original purchaser.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,033member
    My guess is that a spouse put the AirTag in the car and it has nothing to do with "anti-police sentiment."

    Even if one's ... ahem . . . livelihood depended on avoiding law enforcement, knowing where one car is wouldn't help much.  If you thought your cop spouse was cheating on you, you might care.
    beowulfschmidtgilly33entropysJaiOh81lolliverwatto_cobraFileMakerFellerjony0freeassociate2
  • Reply 2 of 8
    ronnronn Posts: 653member
    "The call is coming from inside...!"

    Rather odd. How would civilians get access to the police vehicle? No one saw them opening the hood of a police car? More likely done on police property by fellow law enforcement. Maybe internal affairs? I thought cars are assigned/signed out on a daily basis. Why would a single car that could be assigned to any pair of officers be targeted?
    JaiOh81lolliverwatto_cobraFileMakerFellerjony0
  • Reply 3 of 8
    gilly33gilly33 Posts: 434member
    williamh said:
    My guess is that a spouse put the AirTag in the car and it has nothing to do with "anti-police sentiment."

    Even if one's ... ahem . . . livelihood depended on avoiding law enforcement, knowing where one car is wouldn't help much.  If you thought your cop spouse was cheating on you, you might care.
    I’m with you on that one. Either an inside job or some spouse snooping going on. 
    entropyslolliverwatto_cobraFileMakerFellerwilliamhjony0freeassociate2
  • Reply 4 of 8
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,033member
    ronn said:
    "The call is coming from inside...!"

    Rather odd. How would civilians get access to the police vehicle? No one saw them opening the hood of a police car? More likely done on police property by fellow law enforcement. Maybe internal affairs? I thought cars are assigned/signed out on a daily basis. Why would a single car that could be assigned to any pair of officers be targeted?
    Some law enforcement take their cars home. 
    watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 5 of 8
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    In New York?

    there is something a bit off about this story. As noted above, it would not be a very effective way of avoiding police.  Apart from the need to be in every vehicle in a locality to be remotely of use, an air tag alerts nearby iPhone users of its presence. Not exactly covert.

    And why can’t the police take this to apple to find out who owns it? 

    One suspects this was a stitch up.


    edited January 2023 JaiOh81watto_cobrastevenoz
  • Reply 6 of 8
    FileMakerFellerFileMakerFeller Posts: 1,546member
    Nifty Nifty News 50: "Rumours of an internal investigation into reports of the vehicle remaining stationary outside a popular local doughnut shop for extended periods of time have spiked following the discovery of an Apple AirTag..."
    bestkeptsecretfred1
  • Reply 7 of 8
    ronnronn Posts: 653member
    williamh said:
    ronn said:
    "The call is coming from inside...!"

    Rather odd. How would civilians get access to the police vehicle? No one saw them opening the hood of a police car? More likely done on police property by fellow law enforcement. Maybe internal affairs? I thought cars are assigned/signed out on a daily basis. Why would a single car that could be assigned to any pair of officers be targeted?
    Some law enforcement take their cars home. 
    Not marked NYPD cars in NYC.
    itinj24macgui
  • Reply 8 of 8
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,358member
    This was probably another cop or someone from their Corp yard (repair/maintenance). They would have easiest access to an RMP. They're often parked on the street while cops do foot patrol. But a civilian would have to get into the car release the hood and plant the AirTag. All unseen. Or in a neighborhood where nobody's gonna tell the cops. If NYPD suspected one of their own this wouldn't be public. Maybe we find out one of the cops assigned to that car "planted" it to be discovered to get some attention. Speculation abounds.
    freeassociate2
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