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    Show HN: Undetectag, track stolen items with AirTag

    (undetectag.com)
    114 points pompidoo | 12 comments | 15 May 25 15:46 UTC | HN request time: 1.039s | source | bottom

    I developed a device that turns an Airtag on and off at specific intervals. Current Airtags are detectable right away and cannot be used to track stolen property. That device allows you to hide an Airtag in your car, for example, and someone that steals your car will not be able to use some app to detect it. The Airtag will also not warn the thief of its presence. After some hours, the Airtag turns on again and you can find out its location. It’s not foolproof, as the timing has to be right, but still useful.

    What do you think?

    1. pompidoo ◴[15 May 25 17:47 UTC] No.43997472[source]▶
    The Airtag is mostly off and when back on will alert the person.
    2. Ajedi32 ◴[15 May 25 17:54 UTC] No.43997531[source]▶
    > You shouldn't go get back your belongings from a thief anyways.

    And the police shouldn't either? Seems like knowing the location of your stolen property would help with getting it back in most cases.

    replies(1): >>43997575 #
    3. 1propionyl ◴[15 May 25 17:59 UTC] No.43997575[source]▶
    In practice it does not. If you have had something with FindMy tracking stolen you may know what apartment block it's in, but not what unit.

    Police won't or can't do anything if it could be in multiple units or would require any kind of warrant for the building as well as the specific unit you think it's in.

    If you're "lucky" some might chaperone you knocking yourself, which itself is not something most want to entertain.

    On account of police policy, AirTags are effectively useless for actually getting anything stolen back. You'll get more use out of them in filing your insurance claim if the theft of the item is covered under for example your homeowner's insurance policy.

    replies(2): >>43997596 #>>43997848 #
    4. Ajedi32 ◴[15 May 25 18:01 UTC] No.43997596{3}[source]▶
    That's only a problem if the stolen property is in an apartment and not a house or driveway. And even in the apartment case it could probably be used in combination with other evidence (if available) to obtain a warrant, though you're correct that in practice police don't often have the bandwidth to investigate property crimes to that degree.
    5. dinkblam ◴[15 May 25 18:07 UTC] No.43997659[source]▶
    > These devices should be outright illegal

    why should protecting my belongings from thieves be illegal?

    > You shouldn't go get back your belongings from a thief anyways.

    you can also send the police to the thieves if you know where they are

    seriously, there are like 10 stalkers worldwide but 2 billion thieves. most likely any stalking story was made up by thieves because they hate if people get their stuff back...

    replies(3): >>43997756 #>>43997792 #>>43997842 #
    6. mulmen ◴[15 May 25 18:19 UTC] No.43997756[source]▶
    > why should protecting my belongings from thieves be illegal?

    A concealed tracker doesn’t protect you at all. It only aids in recovery.

    > you can also send the police to the thieves if you know where they are

    No, you can’t. The police do not recover stolen property based on an AirTag ping. They won’t lift a finger.

    7. wat10000 ◴[15 May 25 18:20 UTC] No.43997769[source]▶
    I try to remember where I put my cat but for some reason he's never in the place I remember.
    8. InsideOutSanta ◴[15 May 25 18:22 UTC] No.43997792[source]▶
    >why should protecting my belongings from thieves be illegal?

    Making tracking devices illegal does not make it illegal to protect your belongings from thieves.

    >there are like 10 stalkers worldwide

    Given how many women I know who had issues with stalkers, all ten must live near me.

    9. lostlogin ◴[15 May 25 18:27 UTC] No.43997842[source]▶
    > seriously, there are like 10 stalkers worldwide

    In the UK 1 in 7 has been stalked. Usually the victims are women or young people. The second link says that in the western world 2-15% of the population have been stalked.

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeand...

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10515444/

    10. ops ◴[15 May 25 18:28 UTC] No.43997848{3}[source]▶
    This depends on where you are. In Florida, the police will absolutely go get your stolen property if you give them an AirTag location.
    11. mousethatroared ◴[15 May 25 18:28 UTC] No.43997853[source]▶
    Or kidnapped children
    12. ◴[15 May 25 19:04 UTC] No.43998220[source]▶