Stolen Goods Found During Tool Theft
1 Facebook x.com Reddit
After I got tired of tool thefts at night, Carpenter from Northern Virginia installed AirTags on his tools, which led police to a number of warehouses full of stolen goods.
Twice, an unnamed carpenter woke up early one morning to find his van broken into and thousands of dollars worth of tools stolen from his vehicle. He decided that if there was a third time, he would track down the thieves.
He purchased a series of AirTags and installed them in some of the larger instruments that had not yet been stolen.
On January 22, the thieves returned. In total, during the period between the three break-ins, 50 tools were stolen from the man — including some tools equipped with AirTags.
After discovering the theft, the man drove through the DC suburbs, chasing the thieves on his iPhone. He eventually tracked the stolen tools to a warehouse in neighboring Howard County.
#HoCoPolice have recovered approximately 15,000 stolen construction tools totaling between $3 million and $5 million in what is believed to be one of the largest and most extensive theft cases in the region in recent years. More information and information on recovering stolen tools: https://t.co/ecfD8G2eFP pic.twitter.com/eHv5n8qqzQ
— Howard County Police Department (@HCPDNews) May 23, 2024
The man did not take matters into his own hands as others did. Instead, he called the police, who took action, obtained a search warrant and searched the warehouse.
Police didn't just find the man's tools. Instead, they found signs of a much larger operation.
Information from that one locker eventually led police to 12 storage locations. More than 15,000 tools worth up to $5 million were found in the warehouses. All instruments are believed to have been stolen from locations in Northern Virginia and some locations in Pennsylvania.
“The scope of the investigation is enormous and ongoing,” Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der told The Washington Post in a discovery report published May 31. “We believe tools were stolen from retail stores, businesses, vehicles, residences and construction sites.”
To date, none of the thieves have been arrested, admitted Chief Der. The police department says they are investigating multiple suspects and expect charges to be filed soon.
The carpenter who installed the AirTags has since gotten about a half-dozen of his stolen tools back. Police have identified about 80 victims of the thefts and in mid-May launched a website where potential victims can enter details to hopefully get their tools back.
Apple's AirTag has been at the center of many stories of theft and recovery. Stolen cars are the most commonly returned vehicles, followed by luggage it seems. However, they have also been used to stalk victims.
Apple has since updated the firmware for AirTags to help detect when an AirTag has been unintentionally planted on someone or their property. And the AirTag Spotter software is available not only on iPhone but also on Android.
Follow AppleInsider on Google News
