- Amid Rise in Car Thefts, NYPD Are Asking Residents to Equip Their Vehicles with AirTags
- This one will even distribute some for free
- In April, the city cited an explosion in car thefts of two brands in particular
In an announcement published on the internet, the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, announces the distribution of 500 free AirTags to residents of the city. This is not an advertisement for Apple, but a serious announcement about the fight against car thieves. As the number of thefts explodes in the city, it is banking on this Apple product to put an end to it.
The 500 AirTags that will be distributed would have been donated by a non-profit organization. And for those who won’t receive these free AirTags, the city recommends purchasing some. Indeed, in the event of theft, it will be easier for the police to find a stolen car, if it is equipped with this tracking beacon.
New York is a fan of AirTags
“The AirTags in your car will help us recover your vehicle if it is stolen”explains the New York police. “We’ll use our drones, StarChase technology and good old fashioned police work to safely recover your stolen car. Help us help you, grab an AirTag.” She also posted a video on Twitter showing how the Apple product helps police investigate theft cases.
The 21st century calls for 21st century policing. AirTags in your car will help us recover your vehicle if it’s stolen. We’ll use our drones, our StarChase technology & good old fashion police work to safely recover your stolen car. Help us help you, get an AirTag. #GSD pic.twitter.com/fTfk8p4lye
— NYPD Chief of Department (@NYPDChiefOfDept) April 30, 2023
“Using technology to fight crime, protect people, save property is the direction this administration and this police department are heading”explained the mayor.
New York has a problem with two brands
Specifically, New York City claims to have seen a sharp increase in thefts of Kia and Hyundai brand vehicles. According to a statement released in early April, Kia car thefts increased by 890% in the months leading up to it, while Hyundai car thefts increased by 766%. According to New York City, this was all caused by a trend on social media that highlighted vulnerabilities in certain vehicles from these brands.
“The thieves broke the ignition covers of Kia and Hyundai vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2021 and are able to use any external device in the form of a USB flash drive to bypass the ignition sequence and easily drive off”, we read in this press release. This also points the finger at the absence of “immobiliser” anti-theft systems on models using mechanical keys.
The city of New York had also announced its intention to attack the brands it points to in court. “We would expect these cars to be equipped with standard anti-theft measures, measures that some Kia and Hyundai cars lack”said the mayor on this subject.
A great ad for Apple, and for Android?
If the New York police want to bet on Apple’s AirTags to fight car thieves, it’s because the product has already proven itself. But in any case, the city has just made a nice ad for Apple. As a reminder, the particularity of this product is that instead of using a GPS to locate objects, it uses a Bluetooth signal. The AirTag emits a Bluetooth signal picked up by nearby Apple user devices. Then, this signal is relayed securely to Apple, to notify the owner.
Unfortunately, the solution advanced by the city of New York is only available for users of the Apple ecosystem. However, an alternative already exists for Samsung users. And it’s also rumored that Google is currently working on an Android alternative to Apple’s “Locate” network (the network of Apple products that locates a lost AirTag via Bluetooth signal).
For the moment, the Mountain View firm has not yet formalized anything. However, the tech press regularly discovers clues in its code. And recently, by the way, a new source reported having discovered elements suggesting that even turned off, a device with the feature will continue to be locatable. But for the moment, this information is of course to be considered with caution.
It is still possible that Google will make an announcement at its I/O conference scheduled for May, during which the firm will present the new features of Android 14.
