PSA: Don't let Apple AirTags turn you into Batman as it could be harmful to your health
Apple AirTags can be attached to a variety of items allowing you to track the locations of lost and stolen items by using the "Find My" app. We've told you how bad actors can use them to keep track of cars they've spotted so that they can be stolen after being parked for the night. A mother and daughter were terrified when someone tracked them as they exited Disney World in Orlando late one night when the park was closing. While walking through an empty parking light in the dark, the daughter's iPhone sprang to life with a notification that eerily said, "AirTag Found Moving With You."
AirTags users: heed this friendly warning that could save you from getting hurt
The latest story from the dark side of Apple's AirTags comes from The NY Daily News (via The Cult of Mac) and can be considered a Public Service Announcement (PSA), especially for those who like to act like a vigilante or think that they are Batman. Take New York City's Stephen Herbert who had the misfortune of having his Honda Metropolitan scooter stolen just three days after it had been purchased. Herbert had placed an AirTag on the bike just in case something like this happened.
Using Apple AirTags to track down a stolen item can be dangerous
The 41-year-old Herbert called the cops and using his iPhone and the Find My app, he rode along with them trying to track down his stolen property. For some reason, the AirTag failed to lead the men to the purloined scooter. That same day, Stephen decided to rent another scooter and went searching by himself for his Honda Metropolitan. This time, he found it with its license plates removed in front of a deli.
And this is where you AirTags users out there need to take pay attention. Without the cops to protect him, Herbert made the mistake of confronting two guys in front of the deli and one of them claimed that the bike was his. Herbert told him to wait for the police, which probably was the wrong thing to say.
Let the victim explain what happened next. "Next thing I know, I’m on the ground. They might’ve both been hitting me and kicking me," Herbert said. "I was just hoping they’d stop at that point, get up and leave, take my motorcycle. And they did. Stealer's keepers." The bottom line? Herbert ended up with a fractured nose that will require multiple surgeries to fix. Oh yeah, he didn't get the scooter back either. While the cops search for the men involved, no longer does Herbert feel safe. "I definitely walked around the neighborhood with an aura of comfort, and now I don’t," he said.
If you are the forgetful type, AirTags can help you find your key ring and other misplaced items
If you have an item that you've put an AirTag on get stolen, let this be a warning. Don't start tracking the item on your own, going off half-cocked without getting the police involved. Even Stephen knows that what he did when he went out alone could easily have resulted in his death. He said, "I think a lot about, if he had a gun I could be dead. I think about how dumb I was to confront somebody and maybe had my life ruined in a lot more serious way."
Apple sells AirTags individually for $29 each, or you can buy four for the price of $99. There are also a variety of Leather Loops, Key Rings, Secure Holders, and other accessories for the AirTags that Apple will sell to you. If you do become an AirTag owner and use them to guard against the theft of your personal property, just remember that you are not Batman and that vigilantes can turn out to be sitting ducks.
The kind of person who would steal your personal property isn't the type to return it to you just because you show up, say "Aha," and ask for it to be returned. Consider this a friendly warning since we care about all of our readers and the last thing we want is to see you hurt.
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