Forget Apple AirTags: Motorcycle thieves busted by different tech

People are finding that the ability to use technology to track one's possessions has all kinds of important uses.

Travelers are commonly using the devices to trace the whereabouts of their luggage, to name one.

Related: Dollar Tree follows Walmart and Target in bold theft-prevention move

Most commonly used for this purpose are Apple's AAPL AirTags, which are also frequently employed to trace smaller but no less important items such as keys, wallets and purses.

But these instances where tracking of possessions prove necessary are due to accidental loss (in the event, for example, that an airline misplaces your bag) or because of one's own forgetfulness.

Another reason to track belongings is to protect them from actions of more nefarious intent, such as theft.

In one instance, a technology other than Apple's AirTags was put to the test when a motorcycle owner learned that carjackings were on the rise in his area.

The successful recovery of a stolen motorcycle

Ed Paredes, a motorcycle enthusiast from Lindenhurst, N.J., decided to try to protect his ride from being stolen. He began using Tile (a Bluetooth tracker from Life360) to protect his bike, Tile spokesperson Kristi Collura told TheStreet through email.

Paredes concealed a Tile Pro on his 2007 Yamaha R6 YAMHY and activated the app's Anti-Theft Mode, a feature designed to protect high-value items from theft by letting users hide their Tiles from scans made by others, the spokesperson said.

Not long after, his bike was stolen. Here is video of the theft, taken from a home security camera:

With the Tile tracker activated, Paredes was able to work with local police to track the bike to its exact location and retrieve it using the Tile app.

When police arrived at the location of Paredes' motorcycle, they also recovered five additional stolen motorcycles belonging to others, the spokesperson said.

"Thanks to tile and its anti-theft mode, I recovered my stolen motorcycle," wrote Paredes on X (formerly Twitter). "Recovered five other stolen motorcycles and arrested the perp. I love this device!"

@TheTileApp thanks to tile and its anti theft mode, I recovered my stolen motorcycle @lyndhurstnjpd
recoved 5 other stolen motorcycles and arrested the perp. I love this device! pic.twitter.com/VdJr5qEnQI— Edward Paredes (@JohnieWalkerBlu) September 29, 2023

How Tile Anti-Theft Mode works

Following are some more details about the tracker product and its features, as the spokesperson explained them to TheStreet:

Tile's Scan and Secure feature allows users to scan for and detect Tile trackers and Tile-enabled devices nearby. However, when you enable Tile's Anti-Theft Mode, your Tiles will be invisible in a Scan & Secure result.

Why is this important? If a thief uses Scan and Secure, they cannot detect those Tiles on/in your tracked possessions, increasing the chances of you being able to recover your stolen item. When Anti-Theft Mode is activated, you can rest assured that your items are safe and secure from unwanted scans using the Scan & Secure feature. Furthermore, it allows users to keep track of their belongings without having to worry about potential thieves.

To ensure personal safety and the proper use of Tile devices, there is a required ID verification and strict usage terms and conditions to access Anti-Theft Mode.

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