Apple tracking devices being used in thefts of high-end cars in York Region: police
Police in York Region say they have discovered a new way in which thieves are using Apple technology to track and eventually steal high-end cars in the area.
In a news release issued Thursday, investigators said they have identified at least five incidents since September where suspects have placed Apple AirTags in “out-of-sight” areas of the vehicles when they are parked in public spaces like malls and parking lots.
Thieves then use the AirTags, a small circular device that can be tracked via the “Find My” app, to locate the vehicle at the victim’s residence.
After the vehicle is located, police said that thieves will use tools like screwdrivers to gain entry through the passenger or driver side door. Once inside, an electronic device that police say is typically used by mechanics to reset a vehicle to factory settings, is connected to the onboard diagnostics port below the dashboard of the car.
From there, the vehicle is programed to accept a key the suspects have brought with them that can then be used to start the car and drive away.
According to York Regional Police, various methods of theft have been used to steal some 2,000 vehicles in the area over the past year.
At the same time, police said that its auto/cargo theft unit has remained “active and aggressive” in combatting the issue. At least 100 people have been arrested, “significant” charges have been laid, and roughly 350 vehicles have been returned to their rightful owners in the past year as a result of investigative efforts, police said.
“Despite this success, thieves are constantly developing new methods to facilitate these thefts [and] the number of vehicle thefts continues to rise,” police said.
As a result, police have offered up a number of tips to keep your vehicle safe, including:
- If you own an iPhone, you may receive a notification that an AirTag is nearby
- If possible, park your vehicle in a locked garage as most vehicles are stolen from a driveway
- Use a steering wheel lock, which will also work as a visual deterrent
- Install a lock on your car’s data port. Police said the simple device can be purchased online and blocks access to the vehicle’s computer port
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson Airport: police
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year, Peel Regional Police said Wednesday.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archaeological site in southwest France.
'Enormous sum of money': Actor Hugh Grant settles privacy lawsuit against tabloid
British actor Hugh Grant has settled a lawsuit against the publisher of Rupert Murdoch's tabloid newspaper, The Sun, over claims journalists used private investigators to tap his phone and burgle his house, he said on Wednesday.
O.J. Simpson was chilling with a beer on a couch before Easter, lawyer says. 2 weeks later he was dead
O.J. Simpson's last robust discussion with his longtime lawyer was just before Easter, at the country club home Simpson leased southwest of the Las Vegas Strip. About a week later, on April 5, a doctor said Simpson was 'transitioning.'
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
U.K. plan to phase out smoking for good passes first hurdle
The British government's plan for a landmark smoking ban that aims to stop young people from ever smoking cleared its first hurdle in Parliament on Tuesday despite vocal opposition from within Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party.