Apple’s AirTag has become a must-have accessory for many people, as it helps track just about any object you want. And we’ve heard numerous stories about people recovering their lost items thanks to the accessory. Now a woman in the Netherlands was able to recover her stolen bike thanks to a hidden AirTag.
Bike is recovered thanks to hidden AirTag
Beatriz Spaltemberg and her husband, William Lacerda, live in Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands. And according to Lacerda, bike thefts are becoming increasingly common there, so that’s why he decided to put an AirTag on each of their bikes.
Of course, despite the precautions, they never imagined they would face such a situation – until it happened. Spaltemberg went to the gym, as she usually does, and left her bike outside. Unfortunately, despite locking the bike, she forgot the key there, and that was enough for someone to take advantage of that and steal the bike.
“When she left [the gym] an hour or so later, the bike was gone,” Lacerda told 9to5Mac. Immediately, Spaltemberg opened the Find My app and could see the bike’s location almost in real time. After that, the couple called the police to report the situation. Lacerda said they knew where the bike was, and two officers went with them to that location.
When they got there, the stolen bike was exactly where the Find My app was showing. The couple used the Precision Finding feature to prove to the cops that it was Spaltemberg’s bike since the thief had locked it to a lamppost. Although the thief wasn’t there, the police are collecting footage from street cameras to find who stole the bike.
Top comment by Matteo Migliaccio
Literally had the same happen to me in Den Haag! I left my bike outside my house with my keys inside (yes, that’s on me) and I ran to the last known location in the Find My app. Turns out it was in the back of a shop! The AirTag connected to my phone as soon as I entered the shop.
“It all happened in about an hour and a half. The police officer told me that we were very lucky to have an AirTag [on the bike] because bike thefts are common here, and usually, they only make a police report for such situations,” said Lacerda. He also told us that the AirTag was “very well hidden,” and that this was probably the reason why the thief didn’t suspect anything.
More about AirTag
Earlier this year, an AirTag was credited with helping investigators track down more than $1 million in cash stolen from an armored truck. Apple’s item tracker is also often mentioned as responsible for helping travelers recover lost luggage. In a funnier situation, an AirTag has even helped a restaurant owner find his giant stolen bull mascot.
AirTag uses the Find My network, which relies on connected Apple devices all over the world, to send its current location to the owner. In the US, each AirTag costs $29.
Do you have any interesting stories about AirTag? Let us know in the comments section below.
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