Apple AirTag GPS device used to steal pickup truck in Guelph, Ont., police say

Guelph police say a pickup truck has been stolen with the help of a GPS device in what’s becoming a common way in Ontario for thieves to track and steal high-end vehicles.

The Apple AirTag tracker is a small circular device that can be attached to objects like keys and bags, and then be used to locate the items if they are ever lost.

But thieves are now attaching the device to vehicles, allowing them to track it back to the owner’s residence to be stolen later.

Police services across Ontario have reported similar thefts recently and now the tactic appears to have hit Guelph.

The owner of a Ford F-150 called police just before 5 a.m. on Friday to report his truck had been stolen from his driveway near Gordon Street and Edinburgh Road.

Police said the man also reported that he had been checking on his truck through the night after finding an Apple AirTag on the vehicle the night before.

The theft remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-824-1212 ext. 7457. Anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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York Regional Police said earlier this month that five similar thefts had been reported to their investigators since September.

In some cases, thieves are able to reprogram the vehicle’s computer to its factory settings after getting inside and then make the vehicle accept a key the thieves brought with them.

Drivers are urged to park their vehicles in a locked garage, use a steering wheel lock and consider purchasing a video surveillance system.

Police are also telling drivers to inspect their vehicles regularly and call the police if they notice any suspicious tracking devices.

The man who had his truck stolen in Guelph also said his own Apple device notified him of an AirTag tracker in the area.

So, police are also telling drivers to inspect their vehicles regularly, especially if they receive an unknown AirTag notification.