North Vancouver couple track and recover stolen bike using hidden Apple Airtag
Half a dozen bicycles have been stolen from the storage locker of his North Vancouver townhouse complex this year, so Travis – who asked CTV News not to use his last name – wasn’t surprised when his wife’s bike disappeared in August.
The couple replaced it two weeks ago, but they knew they had to take extra precautions. So they bought an Apple Airtag, a small GPS-like tracker that works by connecting to nearby internet-enabled Apple devices, and hid it on the bike.
This past Saturday, a neighbour alerted them that the new $3,000 bike had just been stolen from the storage locker, along with several others.
“The first thing that we did now that we had the ability to track her bike is we got on our phones and we were able to pinpoint where the trackable device was, where the Airtag was,” said Travis.
They were shocked to see it was only three blocks away from where they were having lunch in lower Lonsdale. After walking the area for 45 minutes, they were able to track the Airtag’s signal to an underground parkade.
“The way the Airtags work is once you get in a 50 metre radius of them, your phone can actually connect to it and it will give you a very precise location,” said Travis. “So, at that point, we knew we were very, very close to it. We had some suspicions about who might have been in possession of it in the parking garage, but not wanting to contact or make accusations, we just waited for North Vancouver RCMP.”
Media relations officer Const. Mansoor Sahak said North Vancouver RCMP officers arrived while the suspects were still in the parkade.
“The police encountered two males near a vehicle, suspicious looking males, and they engaged in conversation," said Sahak. "Once the victim saw the vehicle, he noted there was bicycles inside the vehicle and pointed out that one of the bicycles was his, which formed our grounds to arrest the two suspects.”
The two men of no fixed address have lengthy criminal records. Sahak says Travis was smart to place the Airtag on the bike, and to not personally confront the suspects when he discovered they had the bike.
“We definitely don’t want people taking matters into their own hands and being vigilantes,” Sahak said. “Everything the man did was correct. He made sure his property was protected, he used a device properly, and waited for police when he did go to the parkade.”
Travis said he recognized other bikes in the suspect vehicle that belonged to neighbours in his townhouse complex. They’ve all been recovered thanks to the Airtag, which is also being used frequently to track lost luggage.
“I had my reservations about how well this would work, but I had read a number of stories similar to this one online that said it gives you a fighting chance of recovering your property,” Travis said. “And for the $30 to $40 it costs us to put these on the bikes, we figured that was at least worth it given the climate we have with bike theft in our area right now.”
His wife is still waiting to get her bike back from RCMP. But when it’s returned, he’ll make sure the tracker is still on it.
Correction
Correction: A previous version of this article identified Apple Airtags as GPS devices.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.