Already “tried and tested” in Canada, car thieves attach airtags to cars to track them down and then crack them.
On criminal use of Apple’s Airtags to steal cars in Canada
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According to the report, investigators from York Regional Police’s Car/Cargo Theft Unit have informed them of a new method by which thieves can track down and steal high quality vehicles in the York area. In five cases it was found that suspects had attached small tracking devices to expensive cars to be able to trace and steal them later. According to the report, these were “air tags”, so apparently little trackers from Apple. However, this is not specified in the report.
home tracking from supermarket
Airtags were attached secretly, preferably in public places, for example behind the pickup’s connection flap. Thieves would later discover where the car with the airtag was parked and typically use a screwdriver to break into vehicles through the driver or passenger door without triggering the alarm. Inside the vehicle, an electronic device normally used by mechanics to reprogram to factory defaults is plugged into the onboard diagnostic connector under the dash. It programmed the vehicle to accept keys brought by the thieves. The car started as soon as the new key was found and the thieves fled with it.
Last year more than 2000 cars were stolen. In this connection, 100 people were arrested and around 300 stolen vehicles were seized. Despite its success, thieves continued to develop new methods, including Apple’s method with Airtags.
The warning comes too late – or not at all
Apple’s Airtags will grab attention at some point, but it can take up to eight hours. However, so far this warning only works with iPhones and not Android smartphones.
Airtag in the test: is it worth buying?
The police website also gives some tips to avoid theft as much as possible: it is best to park the vehicle in a closed garage, use a steering wheel lock and lock for the data connection. This can prevent thieves from reprogramming the car’s smart key online. A video system for the car can also be helpful. You should also regularly inspect your car for suspicious items such as tracking devices and notify the police if necessary.
Police clear a video about a thieves’ trap, which ironically begins with the words of Apple advertising jargon: Car thieves thinking different…
