That an Apple AirTag can be used to locate lost items makes sense and serves the purpose for which the accessory was born. Having an entire family go out of their way to find their stolen luggage while on vacation is not that common. However, it is what happened during the last christmas holidays in the USA.
The Gavino family, residents of Miami, were preparing to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays in North Carolina. They flew there, but upon landing Cold sweats started after losing a suitcase. Fortunately, an AirTag inserted into the luggage could serve as a lead to the thief in a full-fledged detective story.
Quite a follow-up for a simple “suitcase with clothes”
You will think that it makes perfect sense to pursue a suitcase thief if we are carrying devices with high economic value like computers, tablets, watches or even high sentimental value. If what we wear is just clothes, that’s something boring, although perhaps less important. In a way, that’s what the Gavino family ended up concluding, although ultimately, they got serious.
Regardless, the story of how the AirTag helped them find the suitcase It’s at least interesting. And it all starts with the acquisition of the accessory by the mother, Catherine. They traveled to North Carolina on Friday, December 22, and their AirTag had been purchased the day before. As he explained to a local media outlet, he did it after seeing recommendations from several influencers and YouTube videos.
Catherine put the AirTag in the suitcase next to the luggage in the hope that if it was lost or misplaced at the airport, she could locate it. And it helped, even if it wasn’t easy. Upon landing, they realized the loss and thanks to the “Search” application on the iPhone, they were able to discover that the suitcase was on a national road, probably on the way to the thief’s house.
It is worth pausing here to remember that an AirTag does not always display its position in real time, but rather it emits it at the same time as it connects to the ‘Search’ network. In any case, references to the last time you logged in still appear. Therefore, in this case, the AirTag was shown fixed on a road and not constantly moving there.
In any case, this clue was enough to The family began a car chase following the AirTag’s trail
Another family had previously informed police of the thief’s location using another AirTag.
Although they eventually continued tracking the AirTag while on vacation, it continued to appear around the South Carolina border town of Gastonia, but still with no clear location. It was already at the airport that they found the definitive clue to find the thief. On Monday, December 25, Christmas Day and after having already spent their holidays, the AirTag already appeared in a specific house on a street in Gastonia.
The family’s son verified that this place was only 20 minutes from the airport and urged his father to go there. No sooner said than done. The family contacted the police, who already had a patrol there investigating another theft, albeit in a house next door to the thief’s. They had already moved before because Someone else had located this area using an AirTag
Finally, and with the help of the police, the Gavino family was able to find their suitcase at the thief’s home. However, there was nothing left of the luggage. It is suspected that the criminal put all his clothes up for sale or simply got rid of them when he realized there was nothing of value. In any case, this helped the family recover the suitcase (although empty) and the police arrested the thief while he was accused of several thefts and a drug charge.
In fact, the thief is currently in prison preventive with bail set at $10,000. The Gavino family returned home and it is unclear whether they ultimately filed a complaint and whether they will recover the value of the contents of the suitcase. What they will surely remember is the usefulness of carrying an AirTag in their suitcase.
By | News from the Queen City
Cover image | Jed Owen on Unsplash | Manzana
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