North Carolina family outsmarts car thieves with Apple AirTag: 'They picked the wrong car'

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Michigan police officer shot at while tracking a stolen car via Apple Airtags

Michigan police officer shot at while tracking a stolen car via Apple Airtags

A couple in North Carolina woke up and realized, to their disbelief, that their car had been stolen while they were asleep. Lucky for them, their Apple AirTag notified them of their car's location, and they were able to locate it within minutes.

"They picked the wrong car that night," Leslie Muhammad told WRAL News.

Discussion of Apple AirTags by Washington Post reporter Geoff Fowler in San Francisco, California Monday March 14, 2022.  (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Doorbell video footage shows two thieves sneaking up in Leslie and Antar Muhammad's driveway before taking off with Leslie's Toyota Camry.

"We woke up, and I looked outside, and I asked my wife, 'Hey, do you know your car’s no longer in the driveway?'" Antar Muhammad told the local outlet.

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However, the Muhammad's story does not end there. The couple said they placed Apple AirTags in both of their cars as well as their phones, wallets, and luggage.

"One hundred dollars for a pack of 4 – it’s one of the greatest security systems you can have," Antar told WRAL News. "As soon as we get a new vehicle or new item – backpack or purse or luggage – I open one up and put one in just for safety measures."

A boxed AirTag on display at the Apple Store George Street on April 30, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Apple's latest accessory, the AirTag is a small device that helps people keep track of belongings, using Apple's Find My network to locate lost items like keys, wallet, or a bag.  (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)

Once the couple realized that their car had been stolen, they pulled out their iPhones and were able to pinpoint the exact location of their stolen car.

"I’m able to pinpoint exactly where it’s at and actually to zoom in and almost precisely pick out the parking space the car was in," he said.

Minutes later, local authorities arrived and the couple showed police the exact location of their missing Toyota Camry.

"It had moved, and then all of a sudden it stopped moving," Antar Muhammad said.

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The Cary Police Department shared that responding officers located the stolen vehicle just before 11 a.m. on Saturday and arrested three underage suspects. 

"They were also elated – the fact that we could find the location that easily, and they were able to contact Durham police instantly," Leslie to WRAL News.

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The couple says from the moment they realized the car was gone to when it was all settled took about two-and-a-half hours.

"The way technology is advancing, I think so will the mindset of some of the thieves," she said. "I think it’s important for people to be aware of what’s out there to support them when it comes to their own personal safety and your items – your home, your cars. If there’s an easy, especially low-budget way, to keep your home and family secure, that’s the best way to do it."

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Apple's AirTags have faced controversy in recent months, with criminals using AirTags to stalk victims and invade their privacy.

A Texas woman recently received a notification that an AirTag was traveling with her, and she promptly drove to a local police station where authorities found an AirTag device taped to her car.

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Apple has rolled out preventative measures to guard individuals from stalking and privacy concerns. Now, a person will receive a notification on their phone that says, "AirTag Found Moving With You" if an unknown AirTag is traveling without its owner.