An AirTag Led to the Arrest of a 19-Year-Old Serial Luggage Thief, Police Say

The possibility that my check off luggage wo n’t make it to my final destination is one of my large worries when traveling by plane . As such , pick up that authorities can draw rein the power of Apple’sAirTagsto do good and find missing luggage was quite satisfying , almost enough to make me forget thecreepythingspeople do with the little trailing disc .

The Okaloosa County Sheriff ’s Office in FloridaannouncedSaturday that it had arrested 19 - year - previous Giovanni De Luca for allegedly steal an entire suitcase and taking more than $ 15,000 worth of jewelry and other token from another piece of luggage at the Destin - Fort Walton Beach Airport , where the adolescent works as an airline subcontractor , in July and August . The traveler who reported the absent traveling bag in July recount authorities that it contained more than $ 1,600 in item as well as an AirTag , which was primal in the probe .

concord to the sheriff ’s post , the traveller with the AirTag told police that the last clock time it had been active was in the area of Kathy Court in the urban center of Mary Esther , Florida . Appleallowspeople who find an AirTag that is not theirs to disable it and end it from share its location with its proprietor .

Photo:Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office

However , this last piece of location data point was seemingly enough for police , who then started search for airport employees who lived near Kathy Court .

“ [ Okaloosa County Sheriff ’s Office ] investigator made consensual tangency with De Luca [ on Aug. 10 ] at his home on Kathy Court . They were able-bodied to recuperate the item reported missing August 9th , ” police indite in a statement on Facebook . “ De Luca also intromit rummaging through the first victim ’s suitcase and removing an Apple Airtag . Her holding have not been recovered . ”

De Luca is charged with two counts ofgrand theft , which is a felony in Florida . If convicted , he could face a five to 10 - year prison house sentence as well as a amercement of up to $ 10,000 .

It seems that AirTags can also be used for good.