Apple Watch’s GPS helps track down burglars

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App Home Screen Apple Watch Series 4
Crime doesn't pay. At least, not if the person owns an Apple Watch.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The GPS function on a stolen Apple Watch helped retrieve the device for its rightful owner, says a report from The Sacramento Bee.

After arriving back home to find her house had been burgled, the 25-year-old rightful owner contacted the police. They tracked the Apple Watch down to a local Walmart, where two suspects were arrested. It turns out that it’s never a good look to deny a crime while carrying a stolen watch in back pocket!

Note to self: Don’t steal Apple Watch

According to a police report, the Apple Watch owner in Redding, California left her home unlocked while she took her kid to school. Her husband was in the house, although he apparently missed the moment that thieves entered the residence. When the woman returned home, she spotted a “suspicious” vehicle across the street, along with a man in a mask. It quickly drove off.

When she saw that the front door of her home was open, she contacted the police. They followed the Apple Watch’s GPS to a nearby Walmart. The victim was unable to provide a description of the suspects or their car. However, she said that she would know the vehicle if she saw it.

At the Walmart, she recognized the vehicle — a 1996 Toyota 4Runner — parked in the parking lot. A police officer then interviewed the car’s passengers, 43-year-old Mike Leyva and 40-year-old Marlin Pierson. During the conversation, the officer noticed an Apple Watch in one of Leyva’s back pockets. Ultimately, the apparent thieves got caught in enough lies that they “admitted to their parts in the theft.”

Leyva and Pierson have been booked on charges of conspiracy to commit burglary and burglar. Pierson will face an additional charge, due to already being on parole.

Apple Watch with GPS

Apple added GPS to Apple Watch with the Apple Watch Series 2. As a result, it allows users to find lost devices like they can do with the iPhone. It’s also a nifty feature when it comes to fitness tracking, such as creating more accurate workout maps.

Source: The Sacramento Bee

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