The New York Police Department (NYPD) is encouraging New York car owners to install Apple AirTags in cars in order to cut down on car theft in the city.
In a tweet shared over the weekend, the NYPD said that "the 21st century calls for 21st century policing," and that an AirTag in a car will help officers recover a car if it is stolen. An accompanying video instructs car owners to get an AirTag and install it in a location in the vehicle where it can't easily be found.
The video then demonstrates a car theft where the owner uses the Find My app to track the car, with the tracking information relayed to the police. Officers find the car thanks to the AirTag and are able to recover the vehicle and arrest the thief.
The 21st century calls for 21st century policing. AirTags in your car will help us recover your vehicle if it’s stolen. We’ll use our drones, our StarChase technology & good old fashion police work to safely recover your stolen car. Help us help you, get an AirTag. #GSD pic.twitter.com/fTfk8p4lye — NYPD Chief of Department (@NYPDChiefOfDept) April 30, 2023
"Safe guard your car by simply putting an Apple AirTag inside of it," the NYPD writes at the end of the video. The AirTag initiative comes after a viral TikTok car theft video that caused an uptick in thefts across the United States. In the TikTok, thieves demonstrate how to get into Hyundai and Kia vehicles through an easily accessible exploit.
In an accompanying press conference on Sunday, New York City mayor Eric Adams said that the city will provide 500 free AirTags to car owners. According to CBS News, the AirTags are available to residents in Castle Hill, Soundview, and Parkchester, as these areas have seen a 548 percent increase in stolen Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Top Rated Comments
You can’t bind an AirTag to more than one Apple ID, so it’s not like the police could bind the AirTag to a NYPD Apple ID, and then give it to you and act like it’s not already bound to an Apple ID.
Even if they do realize they are being tracked there are endless places to hide one that would take time for a thief to find. Hiding one in an engine bay, inside a bumper cover, take apart dash, take apart rear seat, inside trunk under the liner or in spare tire well etc. Hiding an AirTag good enough to the point where disassembly of parts of the vehicle may buy enough time for it to be located after being stolen.
If you make the AirTag frustrating to find and get to the thief may also just get spooked enough to abandon the car. In that case them knowing they are being tracked might be a good thing.
Anyhow my vehicle already has built in GPS tracking from the factory. I keep an AirTag hidden in the car for extra peace of mind.