Recovered my stolen scooter because of an AirTag

[noraa]

I recently had my fairly expensive eScooter stolen, but with the help of an AirTag I was able to recover it!

To make a very, very long story short, my shed where I store my scooter was broken into, and the only thing the thieves stole was my scooter. The first thing I did after calling the police was open the "Find My" app, where the AirTag had made checked in about 20 min prior. After spending a nearly full day chasing the AirTag all around multiple towns, I finally gave up as I was constantly 10-15 min behind it. The next morning, however, I decided to check the app again - and the AirTag had checked in very close to me. I was able to get close enough that my iPhone connected to it, and then it was a simple matter of just following the directions on my iPhone.

Sure enough, sitting on a guys porch, was my scooter! A call to the police and 30 min later (took them a while to send someone out, shockingly ) I had recovered my scooter, and those involved with the theft were arrested!

AirTags are far from perfect tracking devices, but for $30 and no subscription, it is a no-brainer to get one for any and all devices you fear could be lost or stolen.

 

[ovbacon]

I have one in my 60k JEEP

 

[GoofyCyborg]

I recently had my fairly expensive eScooter stolen, but with the help of an AirTag I was able to recover it!

To make a very, very long story short, my shed where I store my scooter was broken into, and the only thing the thieves stole was my scooter. The first thing I did after calling the police was open the "Find My" app, where the AirTag had made checked in about 20 min prior. After spending a nearly full day chasing the AirTag all around multiple towns, I finally gave up as I was constantly 10-15 min behind it. The next morning, however, I decided to check the app again - and the AirTag had checked in very close to me. I was able to get close enough that my iPhone connected to it, and then it was a simple matter of just following the directions on my iPhone.

Sure enough, sitting on a guys porch, was my scooter! A call to the police and 30 min later (took them a while to send someone out, shockingly ) I had recovered my scooter, and those involved with the theft were arrested!

AirTags are far from perfect tracking devices, but for $30 and no subscription, it is a no-brainer to get one for any and all devices you fear could be lost or stolen.

Police wouldn't attend such a call here in the UK.

 

[ovbacon]

Police wouldn't attend such a call here in the UK.

I think in most countries you have to just be lucky with what police department you have or how busy they are. My local sheriff (yes, we actually have a sheriff and not any police) is pretty terrible and would most likely not even understand what the hell you were saying.

 

[Slix]

Glad to hear you got your scooter back!

 

[noraa]

Police wouldn't attend such a call here in the UK.

I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by the responsive of the police during the whole ordeal. Granted they weren't actively looking for the scooter on my behalf, but I did call them a few times when I thought I had tracked it down, and an officer always responded. On some level, and this is just a sad reality of the U.S., gun violence is so prominent, I think the police have become more responsive with thefts because their as a legitimate risk and fear of someone getting shot trying to recover their stuff.

 

[Resist]

A call to the police and 30 min later (took them a while to send someone out, shockingly ) I had recovered my scooter, and those involved with the theft were arrested!

I love it when people make snarky comments about the Police not showing up quick enough over a theft not involving injury or the threat of injury. Sometimes they actually have more important crimes to attend to or are not close enough to get to your area as fast as you'd like.

And okay so they were arrested in this case, bet they were home a few hours later on bail. And eventually won't service any time in jail or prison, for a scooter theft. The best thing anyone can do is not leave your stuff unattended. But glad you got it back.

 

[noraa]

I love it when people make snarky comments about the Police not showing up quick enough over a theft not involving injury or the threat of injury. Sometimes they actually have more important crimes to attend to or are not close enough to get to your area as fast as you'd like.

Granted, 30 min is actually a decent response time - but long enough that there was a distinct possibility that the person who stole the scooter would've left by then. With that being said, it's the police, so I'll be as snarky as I want

And okay so they were arrested in this case, bet they were home a few hours later on bail. And eventually won't service any time in jail or prison, for a scooter theft. The best thing anyone can do is not leave your stuff unattended. But glad you got it back.

In this case, my scooter is expensive enough that the people who stole it have been charged with felony theft, so they will be serving some jail time - no idea how much though.

Regardless, I think you kinda missed the point of this post, that I was able to recover the scooter as a result of having an AirTag hidden on it. The minute I realized it had been stolen, my main goal was to recover it - the people who stole it being charged with felony theft is simply a "bonus." Without the AirTag, there would be no arrests, and more importantly, no recovered scooter.

 

[Surfsalot]

Nice one. Here in Australia would of just grabbed it off the porch, but then it’s not the Wild West with every Tom dick and harry having a holster lol

 

[Saturn007]

Blaming the victim?!

The best thing anyone can do is not leave your stuff unattended.

🙈 The scooter wasn't left “unattended”!

my shed where I store my scooter was broken into, and the only thing the thieves stole was my scooter.

Many, if not most, of us leave many valuable things at home when we run errands, visit friends, eat out, etc.

Our HDTVs, computers, iPads, etc. are often left “unattended”! We can hardly take them all with us, every time we leave the house! 😎

Parked cars are stolen, too!

I thought Nora's story was an uplifting one — showcasing the utility of the Air Tags and that, sometimes, recovery and punishment are possible. The perps don't always walk… 😎

 

[Whigu]

Police wouldn't attend such a call here in the UK.

You just need to have camera and they will come... check Audit Britain on youtube :-D

 

[Resist]

In this case, my scooter is expensive enough that the people who stole it have been charged with felony theft, so they will be serving some jail time - no idea how much though.

They probably won't do any jail time and if they do, whatever the time is, the actual time will be less than half. So pretty much a slap on the wrist.

 

[noraa]

They probably won't do any jail time and if they do, whatever the time is, the actual time will be less than half. So pretty much a slap on the wrist.

Sure, whatever. You’re still missing the point of the story.

 

[richmlow]

I recently had my fairly expensive eScooter stolen, but with the help of an AirTag I was able to recover it!

To make a very, very long story short, my shed where I store my scooter was broken into, and the only thing the thieves stole was my scooter. The first thing I did after calling the police was open the "Find My" app, where the AirTag had made checked in about 20 min prior. After spending a nearly full day chasing the AirTag all around multiple towns, I finally gave up as I was constantly 10-15 min behind it. The next morning, however, I decided to check the app again - and the AirTag had checked in very close to me. I was able to get close enough that my iPhone connected to it, and then it was a simple matter of just following the directions on my iPhone.

Sure enough, sitting on a guys porch, was my scooter! A call to the police and 30 min later (took them a while to send someone out, shockingly ) I had recovered my scooter, and those involved with the theft were arrested!

AirTags are far from perfect tracking devices, but for $30 and no subscription, it is a no-brainer to get one for any and all devices you fear could be lost or stolen.

noraa,


I'm glad that you were able to recover your scooter!

The fact that people steal other people's stuff is one of my pet peeves. It really irks me. Reduction in crimes involving theft can be easily obtained.....namely, get caught stealing and you have your hand chopped off. If you steal again, the other hand is chopped off.


richmlow

 

[Saturn007]

Did you forget the /s hashtag?! 😎

This is the 21st century; we're well past such barbaric practices. Apple Air tags and jail time can be good detergents! (Darn that Apple autocorrect!)

As a side note, “cruel and unusual punishment” outlawed under the U.S. Constitution — see the 8th Amendment.

 

[blacksurfer]

I recently had my fairly expensive eScooter stolen, but with the help of an AirTag I was able to recover it!

To make a very, very long story short, my shed where I store my scooter was broken into, and the only thing the thieves stole was my scooter. The first thing I did after calling the police was open the "Find My" app, where the AirTag had made checked in about 20 min prior. After spending a nearly full day chasing the AirTag all around multiple towns, I finally gave up as I was constantly 10-15 min behind it. The next morning, however, I decided to check the app again - and the AirTag had checked in very close to me. I was able to get close enough that my iPhone connected to it, and then it was a simple matter of just following the directions on my iPhone.

Sure enough, sitting on a guys porch, was my scooter! A call to the police and 30 min later (took them a while to send someone out, shockingly ) I had recovered my scooter, and those involved with the theft were arrested!

AirTags are far from perfect tracking devices, but for $30 and no subscription, it is a no-brainer to get one for any and all devices you fear could be lost or stolen.

Where did you hide the airtag? And did you take the speaker out so they can't hear the stalker chirp?

 

[northernmunky]

Police wouldn't attend such a call here in the UK.

Check the post I just made, I got them out here in South London to retrieve it as it was in a garage and I was in a vulnerable location and I didn't want to hang around in case they came back. But I got it retreived.