Lost Your Car? US Police Tracked A Rs 5-Crore Ferrari Via Apple AirPods. Here's How You Can Do It As Well

Apple’s Find My feature, originally designed to help users find misplaced devices, is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for law enforcement in tracking stolen goods.

Apple’s Find My feature can do more than just find your Apple devices. It recently played a pivotal role in the recovery of a Ferrari 812 GTS, valued at Rs 5 crore (approximately $575,000), that was stolen in Connecticut, US. The incident highlights how a pair of AirPods, often used for listening to music or making calls, helped law enforcement track down the high-end vehicle.

What Went Down

On September 16, the Waterbury Police Department (WPD) was alerted to the theft of the Ferrari from Greenwich, Connecticut. The WPD’s Auto Theft Task Force quickly sprang into action, relying on a surprising tool — AirPods left inside the stolen car by mistake.

These wireless earbuds were connected to the Find My app, Apple’s location-tracking system, allowing the police to trace the vehicle’s whereabouts.

Thanks to the AirPods’ ability to broadcast their location, the stolen Ferrari was soon located near a gas station on South Main Street in Waterbury. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver managed to escape but left behind a critical clue — his iPhone.

This blunder led police to identify the suspect as 22-year-old Dion Schontten, a repeat offender with a history of car theft.

Schontten was finally apprehended on September 26 while driving a stolen Acura and is now facing charges related to both vehicle thefts.

How To Use Apple's Find My Feature

The incident highlights how Apple’s Find My feature, originally designed to help users find misplaced devices, is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for law enforcement in tracking stolen goods. The AirPods’ location-sharing ability, coupled with the presence of a nearby iPhone, enabled officers to home in on the stolen Ferrari and ultimately catch the thief.

For those looking to ensure they can track their own Apple devices, turning on the Find My feature is easy. Simply connect your AirPods to your device, go to Settings, tap the name of your AirPods, and toggle on Find My Network.

Once activated, the AirPods can be tracked through the Find My app, even if they aren’t nearby.

In addition to Find My, Apple also offers AirTags, small tracking devices that can be attached to valuable items, giving users peace of mind by allowing them to track the location of their belongings with ease.

This feature has become an essential tool for Apple users looking to safeguard their possessions.