The “Find my iPad” feature on an Apple tablet helped cops track down the thieves responsible for taking a police deputy’s gun and tactical gear.
The app let officers find the stolen goods, in addition to other items relating to nearby burglaries, at a home in Cape Coral, Florida.
Two teen suspects were arrested as a result. 18-year-old James Terry and 17-year-old Jaden Ross were both arrested on theft and larceny charges. They will be tried and potentially sentenced at a later date.
A local news report says that Lee County Sheriff’s Office traced the thieves to a home in northern Cape Coral late last week. I
t doesn’t make clear who the iPad belonged to. However, the geolocating feature and subsequent audible tone the app produces led the officers to a stolen stash. This included a deputy’s stolen gun, X26 taser, tactical vest, and three loaded magazines with ammunition.
Stupid thieves
This isn’t the first time we’ve covered stories of thieves arrested after being ratted out by Apple devices. For instance, back in 2015, Houston police arrested two thieves after they took a celebratory selfie using a stolen iPad. In addition, they also flaunted a stolen laptop and $5,000 in cash. Unfortunately (for them, at least), the video was uploaded to the rightful owner’s iCloud account. Police had no problems identifying the suspects.
At last year’s Coachella music festival, a thief was foiled by the “Find my iPhone” feature after stealing 100 phones. The useful service was also used to save a kidnapped bride from a forced marriage.
Apple first introduced the Find My iPhone feature in August 2011. It displays the location of iDevices on a world map, using GPS to pinpoint exact location. For more on how to use it, check out our handy “how to” guide here.
All you need to worry about after that is not being stupid enough to try and steal anything. Especially not a cop’s gun!
Source: Wink News
