US man uses AirTag to track stolen truck, shoots and kills suspected thief
A man whose truck was stolen in Texas tracked it down using Apple AirTag before shooting and killing the suspected thief.
The man, who is reportedly one of the truck’s owners and has not been named, is believed to have used the AirTag to track the vehicle for nearly 32km from where it was stolen, according to American media.
An AirTag is a tracking device that syncs wirelessly to mobile phones and tablets to indicate the location of the belongings they are attached to.
The truck was tracked to the car park at a shopping centre, where the vehicle’s owners - and two other members of his family - found a man inside it when they arrived, said American news outlet Insider.
The man allegedly confronted the man inside the truck and then shot him. He has claimed that he saw a weapon before firing his own gun.
The San Antonio Police Department say they are investigating the incident and noted that the truck owners had rung the police, but did not wait for them to arrive before intervening.
They are investigating whether the suspected thief had a weapon, which could decide whether the man who shot and killed him faces charges, added Insider.
The victim was identified as 44-year-old Andrew John Herrera. He died from a gunshot wound to the head on Wednesday, according to American news outlet KSAT.
He was not aware that the vehicle was being tracked, said police.
People should not take matters into their own hands if their car is stolen, cautioned San Antonio Police Department information officer Nick Soliz.
“If you are to get your vehicle stolen, please do not take matters into your own hands like this,” he was quoted saying in American tabloid New York Post.
“It’s never safe, as you can see by this incident.”
AirTags are commonly used to track items such as luggage and wallets. However, Apple has also faced lawsuits and criticism over the device. In December 2022, Apple was sued by two women who say the AirTag devices make it easy for stalkers to track and terrorise victims.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now