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New York Police Department Encourages Car Owners to Use AirTags to Deter Theft, 500 Free AirTags Available

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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.

airtag-cyber.jpg

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.


"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.

Article Link: New York Police Department Encourages Car Owners to Use AirTags to Deter Theft, 500 Free AirTags Available
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/01/nypd-encourages-car-owners-to-use-airtags/
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Vref

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“Free”

Yeah you know the cops are tracking you too if you take one of those

Why does anyone still live in NY?


Plus if you film them steal it, track it to the hood rats dwelling, call the cops, $5 says they won’t do anything, but go 11mph over the speed limit, or don’t have one of their “inspection” stickers clogging up your windshield and they’ll be on it like flys on..we’ll NY
 
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Little Endian

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Apr 9, 2003
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Despite all the obstacles that Apple implements to deter it is still possible to use an AirTag for theft tracking purposes on a car. A thief will only get a notification they are being tracked if they have an iPhone. On Android you actually have to download an app and manually check. Also depending on the situation there is a time buffer between when a thief would get tracking notification or an airtag starts making sound. A small window of opportunity to track is better than none at all.

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.
 
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noraa

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Jun 23, 2003
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Vref said:
“Free”

Yeah you know the cops are tracking you too if you take one of those

Why does anyone still live in NY?
Click to expand...

Not sure you understand how AirTags work. They’re tied to your Apple ID, only you can track your AirTag (unless you give someone your Apple IR credentials - which if you’re giving the police you’re info than you’re just being dumb).

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.
 
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FrizzleFryBen

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Dec 14, 2009
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Sure, an AirTag may help recover a vehicle - but 500 AirTags in NYC certainly won't be enough to create a word-of-mouth or newsworthy deterrent from theft.

I just cannot imagine that any police force actually wants civilians to be using AirTags or any gps device *where the consumer is in control* - to keep track of their stuff and calling 911 to give live (often delayed) updates on the location of their 2016 Hyundai.

Also, just a general rule #1 when it comes to free stuff. If a cop is giving it away, you don't want it. There's a reason all the police departments were giving away ring doorbells, and it wasn't for YOUR safety.
 
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robbysibrahim

robbysibrahim

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Vref said:
“Free”

Yeah you know the cops are tracking you too if you take one of those

Why does anyone still live in NY?


Plus if you film them steal it, track it to the hood rats dwelling, call the cops, $5 says they won’t do anything, but go 11mph over the speed limit, or don’t have one of their “inspection” stickers clogging up your windshield and they’ll be on it like flys on..we’ll NY
Click to expand...

All of this is wrong. And I'll add, the LAPD recovered my stolen motorcycle the same day because I had an AirTag on it.
 
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noraa said:
Not sure you understand how AirTags work. They’re tied to your Apple ID, only you can track your AirTag (unless you give someone your Apple IR credentials - which if you’re giving the police you’re info than you’re just being dumb).

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.
Click to expand...

NY only does things that benefit NY

and as it stands the police don’t care about your stolen car or many of the attacks which can’t be discussed in NYC

So I wouldn’t trust it, not sure how, but nooope
 
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jclardy

jclardy

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Oct 6, 2008
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Vref said:
“Free”

Yeah you know the cops are tracking you too if you take one of those

Why does anyone still live in NY?


Plus if you film them steal it, track it to the hood rats dwelling, call the cops, $5 says they won’t do anything, but go 11mph over the speed limit, or don’t have one of their “inspection” stickers clogging up your windshield and they’ll be on it like flys on..we’ll NY
Click to expand...
You can’t even share an AirTag with an iCloud family member, no way it can be shared with NYPD.
 
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noraa

macrumors 6502a
Jun 23, 2003
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Vref said:
NY only does things that benefit NY

and as it stands the police don’t care about your stolen car or many of the attacks which can’t be discussed in NYC

So I wouldn’t trust it, not sure how, but nooope
Click to expand...
Are you speaking from experience? Do you live in NY (or have lived in NY)? The NYPD are far, far, far from perfect (for so many reasons), but you’re pretty much just speaking out of your ass right now.
 
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medialook

medialook

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Nov 12, 2017
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That's brilliant. I have one in the car for that very purpose. I hope I will never need to use it. I also have BMW tracking but this can be disabled by the thief. In the UK (where I'm based) some insurance companies require you to have a tracker fitted. They don't consider BMW connected drive as authorised tracker, neither the AirTag. I suppose it's just a secret deal with paid tracker providers to get you to to pay for their subscription, fitting and the tracker itself (about £500). I don't want to pay monthly fee (about £20), but I also don't want cowboys to mess up electronic in my brand new BMW... therefore AirTag is perfect for that purpose. I'm planning to put a second one in different spot. Just for the backup - if battery dies in one I have second. I hope this will make evenly UK Insurance companies to look differently on this excellent device.
 
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Vref

Vref

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noraa said:
Are you speaking from experience? Do you live in NY (or have lived in NY)? The NYPD are far, far, far from perfect (for so many reasons), but you’re pretty much just speaking out of your ass right now.
Click to expand...

Yes

Lived there, and not even the dirty sketchy city, was a victim to felony level larceny, the police couldn’t be bothered, and I had the case on a platter, emails from all parties, I was working for a lawfirm at the time and even they said it’s clear cut, cops just said “that’s a civil matter”

That’s about when I was onboard with defunding 80% of police

But I promise if I didn’t have a valid “inspection” sticker I wouldn’t make it a week before a cop would stop me post haste, that whole state is a scam, and “the city” is the epicenter


If NYPD wants you to do something, 9.9 times out of 10 it’s in your best interest to do the opposite
 
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