Police in Portland got technical help from Apple's airtag after an armed robber inadvertently took the tracking device in a second theft On Thursday, a shop was robbed in an armed robbery on the 100th block of Northwest Broadway in Portland, Oregon. The man was identified by the police as Justin Johnston. He demanded money from a staff member of the store with a gun and took the victim's mobile phone and wallet.
According to katu2, the police saw him enter and leave the Embassy Suites Hotel through surveillance video, and used his mobile phone to come to the area of Southwest Third Avenue and southwest Pine Street. Later that day, the hotel security contacted the police and said that the suspect had returned to the hotel.
While trying to capture the suspect, he ran into the hotel and escaped arrest, and then activated the fire alarm. During the search, the police found a fake pistol on the fire passage.
Fortunately, the police later learned from a guest of the hotel that someone broke into his room and took away items, including a backpack with airtag.
The police used airtag to track the suspect into North Portland. Before Johnston was arrested, the police conducted another round of pursuit. The suspect was charged with secondary robbery and primary theft.
This story is the latest example of airtag being used in an extremely useful way. On May 9, airtag helped recover $7000 worth of photographic equipment in Australia.
However, such gadgets continue to be controversial because of attempts to use them for the unwitting tracking of the parties, which has attracted the attention of legislators.