Could a piece of technology that is growing in popularity help crack down on crime?Tracking devices, like Apple AirTags, are usually used to keep tabs on things in case they get lost. Now, in some cases, police are also taking advantage of the technology to track down thieves and recover stolen property. However, there are some challenges and limitations in how the trackers can be used to combat crime.Chris Roina of Rancho Cordova first decided to try out Bluetooth trackers, including Tiles and AirTags, a few years ago.“Because I lose everything all the time,” he said.They connect to smartphones with an application, which can then show the location of the item the tracker is attached to on a map.“They save me every day,” Roina said.They even saved him in ways he did not expect. Roina said they helped solve a crime in 2021. He and a friend had a room at Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada.“My friend walks in, and he goes, ‘Dude, our bags are gone,’ and I go, ‘What?’” Roina said.Someone had stolen his backpack full of electronics for work. Luckily, he also had Tiles and AirTags attached to some of his things.“It fortunately led the police to the suspect's location,” Roina said.Officers could use the help.“I would say that property crimes are at an all-time high in Sacramento,” said Sgt. Tiffany Pfau, who is in charge of the Property Crimes Bureau within the Centralized Investigations Division of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.She said the department gets about 100,000 cases a year.“We are doing our best to combat it, but we need citizens to be aware and proactive,” Pfau said.The sheriff’s office said 10 of its investigations in the past year have involved AirTags. That included one where a Sacramento-based construction company said materials, like lumber and insulation, were getting stolen so often that they started putting trackers on their stuff. And they said it worked. So far, they said, they have found and recovered stolen materials four times with the help of law enforcement.“It is helpful. If we can get one person's property back, it's a win in our book,” Pfau said.However, there are some challenges when it comes to how law enforcement can use Bluetooth tracking devices. Even after zeroing in on a location, it can take time.“We always do our due diligence to know who lives there, if they've had previous law enforcement contacts; is anybody on probation or parole,” Pfau explained.There are also legal limitations. Pfau said a location from an AirTag alone is not enough probable cause for a search warrant.“We can definitely do what we can. We can go knock on the door, create a dialogue and ask, but we cannot barge in or go on that property and start searching for it just because an AirTag is showing at that location,” Pfau said.So, while it can help recover stolen items, it may not always lead to an arrest unless police have additional evidence. In Roina’s case, he said, police were able to get security camera images of the suspect leaving his hotel room. That, coupled with his location, allowed police to make an arrest, and Roina got his things back. In August, Elk Grove Police announced a similar case in which a stolen wallet with a tracking device in it led to the arrest of a man suspected of breaking into and stealing from nine cars at Stonelake Apartments.Law enforcement agencies in other parts of the country have embraced the technology as well. In April, the New York Police Department announced it would be giving away 500 AirTags for free, urging people to put them in their cars after a spike in car thefts.Other things people can do to protect themselves in case of theft include writing their name on their property and keeping track of serial numbers.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Could a piece of technology that is growing in popularity help crack down on crime?
Tracking devices, like Apple AirTags, are usually used to keep tabs on things in case they get lost.
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Now, in some cases, police are also taking advantage of the technology to track down thieves and recover stolen property. However, there are some challenges and limitations in how the trackers can be used to combat crime.
Chris Roina of Rancho Cordova first decided to try out Bluetooth trackers, including Tiles and AirTags, a few years ago.
“Because I lose everything all the time,” he said.
They connect to smartphones with an application, which can then show the location of the item the tracker is attached to on a map.
“They save me every day,” Roina said.
They even saved him in ways he did not expect. Roina said they helped solve a crime in 2021.
He and a friend had a room at Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada.
“My friend walks in, and he goes, ‘Dude, our bags are gone,’ and I go, ‘What?’” Roina said.
Someone had stolen his backpack full of electronics for work. Luckily, he also had Tiles and AirTags attached to some of his things.
“It fortunately led the police to the suspect's location,” Roina said.
Officers could use the help.
“I would say that property crimes are at an all-time high in Sacramento,” said Sgt. Tiffany Pfau, who is in charge of the Property Crimes Bureau within the Centralized Investigations Division of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
She said the department gets about 100,000 cases a year.
“We are doing our best to combat it, but we need citizens to be aware and proactive,” Pfau said.
The sheriff’s office said 10 of its investigations in the past year have involved AirTags. That included one where a Sacramento-based construction company said materials, like lumber and insulation, were getting stolen so often that they started putting trackers on their stuff. And they said it worked.
So far, they said, they have found and recovered stolen materials four times with the help of law enforcement.
“It is helpful. If we can get one person's property back, it's a win in our book,” Pfau said.
However, there are some challenges when it comes to how law enforcement can use Bluetooth tracking devices. Even after zeroing in on a location, it can take time.
“We always do our due diligence to know who lives there, if they've had previous law enforcement contacts; is anybody on probation or parole,” Pfau explained.
There are also legal limitations. Pfau said a location from an AirTag alone is not enough probable cause for a search warrant.
“We can definitely do what we can. We can go knock on the door, create a dialogue and ask, but we cannot barge in or go on that property and start searching for it just because an AirTag is showing at that location,” Pfau said.
So, while it can help recover stolen items, it may not always lead to an arrest unless police have additional evidence.
In Roina’s case, he said, police were able to get security camera images of the suspect leaving his hotel room. That, coupled with his location, allowed police to make an arrest, and Roina got his things back.
In August, Elk Grove Police announced a similar case in which a stolen wallet with a tracking device in it led to the arrest of a man suspected of breaking into and stealing from nine cars at Stonelake Apartments.
Law enforcement agencies in other parts of the country have embraced the technology as well. In April, the New York Police Department announced it would be giving away 500 AirTags for free, urging people to put them in their cars after a spike in car thefts.
Other things people can do to protect themselves in case of theft include writing their name on their property and keeping track of serial numbers.
