The powerful pairing of AirTags and Apple’s Find My network has aided many distressed individuals in recovering their misplaced and oftentimes, stolen belongings and property, with the help of law enforcement, obviously. However, with the increasing number of car thefts in New York City, the police find themselves fighting against overwhelming odds, but they have a solution to this problem; handing out Apple’s circular trackers to the public for free.

The NYPD will provide 500 free AirTags to citizens to help significantly reduce car thefts

In the video below, New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams can be seen announcing the AirTag program through a press conference. The 500 AirTags provided to citizens was initiated through a non-profit organization called Association for Better New York. Adams appears to be impressed with what Apple has come up with, calling the AirTag a simple device but very easy to use when locating a stolen vehicle.

The majority of the 500 AirTags will be donated to citizens residing in the Bronx, which has become a haven for car thefts. 9to5Mac reports that thefts have seen an increase of 24 percent so far this year compared to the same period in 2022. The most recent example of Apple’s trackers being beneficial was when it aided one family and law enforcement in locating a car in just an hour.

However, there are some drawbacks to using AirTags to track down stolen cars, though Apple has implemented these precautions to prevent the use of unnecessary stalking. For instance, if an AirTag has not been with the original owner for a few days, it will emit a sound in intervals of eight and 24 hours, making thieves aware of the device’s presence in the car. Also, when the sound starts to emit, iOS will show an alert on nearby iPhones.

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

Though the NYPD advises car owners to place AirTags in ‘hard to locate’ areas of their vehicle, the loud sound and iOS notification may be sufficient in informing criminals easily. An earlier stalking incident involving two tourists happened in Bali, Indonesia, and the travelers only found out about the nefarious activity after the tracker started emitting a sound. In short, outsmarting car thieves using AirTags may be the only healthy alternative remaining for New York City citizens.

News Source: NYPD Chief of Department