The NYPD is handing out free AirTags to combat car theft (and why you should get one too)

The NYPD is handing out free AirTags to combat car theft (and why you should get one too)

Although crime in New York is largely down, one particular type of crime has been on the rise, and that's vehicle theft. According to reports, 4,500 instances of stolen cars have been reported in the past year, which is a year-on-year increase of 13%.

To combat car theft, the New York Police Department (NYPD) is handing out 500 free Apple AirTags to residents in the 43rd Precinct – which is in the southeast section of the Bronx. That area has seen over 200 vehicle theft cases. The NYPD said that having an AirTag can help the police recover stolen vehicles.

The NYPD Chief of Patrol, John Chell, said:

Your phone will be alerted. You know someone's in your car who's not supposed to be, and/or it's stolen. You call 911 as fast as you can. You tell the officers involved 'I have an AirTag, 'and they will immediately with citywide apprehension apparatus will start putting that tag citywide.

For those unfamiliar to Apple's tracker, an AirTag is a Bluetooth tracker with a twist. That twist is that it relies on Apple's extensive Find My network to ping its location to the owner. And with over a billion devices on the network, the likelihood that it can relay its location to its owner is very high, particularly if it's used in a densely-populated location like New York City.

This is why I recommend anyone who's driving their cars up out of the country to get an AirTag and stuff it in an random and obscure location inside their vehicles.

Of course, this method isn't foolproof. Its effectiveness relies on largely on how well the AirTag is hidden. If it's found, the perpetrator can easily discard it and go on their way. Hide it well, however, and it could be a lifesaver. And all for just S$45.50.

You can find the Apple AirTag on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.

Source: AppleInsider