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Toronto Police Const. Marco Ricciardi holds an Apple AirTag in a video showing how car theft suspects can tag a vehicle they hope to track, in order to steal it later.By Toronto Police photo
As the provincial and federal governments propose further crackdowns on auto theft at a news conference this week, an old Toronto police video is recirculating on social media about how thieves use Apple AirTags to track your vehicle.
In the TikTok video, Const. Marco Ricciardi shows how someone could put a magnetized AirTag onto a vehicle in a parking lot, marking it to steal later on.
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“It could be hidden in the licence plate, in the trailer hitch receiver or even in a gas tank cap area,” Ricciardi said in the video. “They track the device to your driveway, and when you're sleeping comfortably, they come and steal your car or truck.”
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) do not gather statistics about auto thefts related to AirTags, but they have had reports from people finding them on their vehicles.
“An iPhone user will receive a notification that an AirTag is nearby,” OPP spokesperson Brooklyn Harker said. “If you own an Android phone, you can download an app called Tracker Detect, which will provide the same alert.
“Should you find an AirTag, press down on the silver piece, and turn it counterclockwise to remove the battery.”
Thieves steal vehicles to sell elsewhere for profit, or for parts, often shipping the vehicle out of the province or country. Or they may use the vehicle to commit other crimes, Toronto police said on their website.
In order to prevent thieves from taking your vehicle, use a car alarm, an ignition kill switch or a steering wheel lock, Toronto police suggest.
Harker also said motorists could use an AirTag device on their own vehicle to assist police in locating the car if it is ever stolen.
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, in 2022 an estimated $1.2 billion in auto theft claims were paid out.
And on May 20, the Canadian government announced a National Plan on Combatting Auto Theft. Using devices to facilitate an auto theft will become a new criminal offence, although the press release doesn't specify if AirTags are included.
The government also plans to issue tougher penalties for auto theft with ties to violence, organized crime and money laundering, and will allow more shipping containers to be examined, through increased capacity at the Canada Border Services Agency. Details of those penalties have not been released.
On May 14, the province also announced it was cracking down on auto theft, issuing a 10-year licence suspension for a first-time convicted thief, with 15 years for a second offence and a lifetime suspension if convicted after that.
“Every 14 minutes, a vehicle is stolen in Ontario, with Toronto experiencing a 78 per cent increase in violent carjackings since 2021,” the province said in a press release.
Area police services are doing what they can to prevent car theft, including handing out faraday bags, or establishing auto theft units. And the province is also investing in the Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force, announced in the fall of 2023.
来源链接：
https://www.toronto.com/news/thieves-are-using-apple-airtags-to-steal-vehicles-how-the-ontario-and-canadian-governments-plan/article_6198fb75-9cb3-51e3-ba1a-6647f6e62bea.html
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