Police In Montgomery County Are Telling Residents To Be Vigilant With Apple AirTags

LOWER MORELAND, PA — Local police are warning residents about the criminal use of an electronic device that is supposed to be designed to help people keep track of their personal belongings.

The Lower Moreland Police Department on Wednesday put out a community notice warning residents about the misuse of Apple's new AirTags, which seem to be increasingly utilized by criminals who are looking to stalk victims or possibly engage in crimes such as auto theft or burglary.

"Imagine being out at the grocery store, movies, or mall and receiving a notification on your phone saying you're being tracked," the police department stated. "Every step is being tracked. That's scary!"

The department said that while the electronic device "sounds great" in theory, since it can help people keep track of personal items such as wallets, keys, and purses, it is also being used by those looking to victimize the unsuspecting.

"Across the U.S., people have been reporting suspicious activity where an Apple AirTag is being used to track them, to potentially victimize the person by taking their vehicle, burglarizing their home, or any other illegal/criminal activity," the Lower Moreland Police Department wrote in its message. "This is not what the Air Tag is meant to be used for!"

On Tuesday, the Lower Providence Patch reported that a resident in that community contacted police to say she had recently been followed home by an individual after she left the movie theater, and only knew about the stalker after receiving a message on her cellphone about the tracking device.

In Lower Moreland other communities, local public safety officials are asking residents to be aware of their surroundings and to call 911 in the event of suspicious activity.