NYPD, Mayor Eric Adams Distributes Free Apple AirTags to Help with Car Theft in the City

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 02 May 2023, 10:05 pm

Car theft has been rampant in New York for the longest time now, and the NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams are suggesting a new way to alleviate this problem by using the Apple AirTags to keep track of vehicles. All vehicles in New York are potential targets for carnappers, and the Mayor's Office, in accordance with the New York Police Department is offering to provide as much as 500 of the Apple trackers for free.

New Yorkers will be given a chance to keep tabs on their vehicles at all times, or until there is still a charge from the AirTags' batteries that come pre-installed on the device.

(Photo : Đức Trịnh from Unsplash)

NYPD, Mayor Eric Adams Distributes Free AirTags to Help with Car Theft

A press conference held by the New York City Mayor and the NYPD in the Bronx's 43rd precinct announces the new solution to alleviating car theft in the area, and it is through the use of Apple's AirTags. Mayor Adams is putting their trust in Apple's tiny trackers in keeping tabs on a citizen's vehicle and tracking it in case it gets reported stolen.

The mayor also claimed that there are as many as 500 AirTags that are up for grabs for citizens without a cost, allowing them to gain access to the technology and protect their vehicles.

Its recent press conference was also held in the precinct with a high case of stolen car reports from owners, with as many as 200 vehicles lost in the area.

New York's Car Theft Cases Are Rising, AirTags to Help It?

According to Ars Technica, the NYPD's crime reports and statistics report claim that as many as 4,492 vehicle thefts already happened this year, a 13.3 percent rise from last year's cases.

The Apple AirTags may help in alleviating the problem, especially as it offers excellent tracking features to know the whereabouts of one's items, as well as the car. However, it would be immediately noticeable when the thief is using an iPhone and senses that there is a tracker in the car.

Apple's AirTags and its Helpful Features

AirTags were made to help people look for their missing devices or items that cannot be tracked in other ways as they cannot connect to the internet or do not have tracking features. The Cupertino company first released this technology in 2021, giving the world the long-speculated Bluetooth tracker that may be hidden away in their belongings.

While many people used it for their things like bags, keys, remote controls, and other loose items that get lost easily, some have used it for other things that are also prone to theft. There are many success stories for the AirTags in the past, including a person stowing it to their electric scooter and one on their bike, helping avoid further losses.

Others have also used it for their luggage, putting the AirTags tracker to ensure that their baggage arrives with them to their destination.

Now, it is a device that the NYPD and the New York Mayor recommend for the growing car theft in the area, as more and more cases see untrackable whereabouts of their vehicles after being reported stolen.