l’Apple AirTag led to the arrest of a serial thief. He was the king of airport thefts, where he also worked through an employment agency: Giovanni de Lucas – a name, so to speak, vague local – was a 19-year-old boy specializing in luggage theft of the tourists, they had stolen and resold stolen goods worth more than $15,000 in less than a year.
But after many hits, De Luca was screwed by technology. Yes, because in one of the last bags stolen by the Italian-American was a… Apple tracker.
The AirTags were presented in 2021. The small round object can be attached to key rings, purses or rather to bags and luggage. It works thanks to a small chip and the Bluetooth network, which allows it to communicate its position in real time with the latest generation of iPhones it finds nearby. There are millions of iPhones 11, 12 and 13 in circulation and so it’s really hard to find ‘blind spots’ where the tiny tracker can’t communicate its actual position.
This constant mapping allows users to track the movements of their AirTags using the app Where.
Giovanni De Luca worked through an employment agency for an airport in Florida. Without arousing suspicion in his superiors, the boy had repeatedly stolen several suitcases that he should theoretically carry in the hold of the aircraft. In some cases he stole very suitcasesin others, where possible, it was limited to opening luggage and stealing only valuables, such as wallets, jewelry, laptops and other electronic items.
In July, one of De Luca’s many victims reported the theft of his suitcase, explaining to police that it contained items worth about $1,500 and an Apple AirTag. This last object turned out to be a very precious resource that allowed investigators to uncover the identity of the serial thief. The last position recorded by the tracker? In the small town of Kathy Court, residence of just one of the airport’s many employees and contractors: Giovanni De Luca. Now the 19-year-old faces a 10-year prison sentence.
Source: Lega Nerd
