A California woman successfully tracked down thieves who stole her mail using an Apple AirTag locator device. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reported that two suspects were arrested in Los Alamos with the help of the technology.
Deputies responded to a mail theft report and discovered that the woman had mailed herself a package containing the tracking device. The thieves were located in Santa Maria with the victim’s stolen mail and other items taken from numerous victims.
The AirTag works by sending out a Bluetooth signal detectable by nearby devices in Apple’s Find My network, allowing users to track its location through iCloud. The suspects, Virginia Franchessca Lara and Donald Ashton Terry, were arrested on various felony charges related to fraud and theft.
The proactive use of technology by the victim was praised by the sheriff’s office, emphasizing the importance of using tools like AirTag to combat theft. Authorities are now working on contacting other victims involved in the case.