Achi news desk-
Personal tracking devices like Apple AirTags were designed to help us find our keys or wallets.
Police in the United States, however, are now investigating how the quarter-sized devices can be a weapon in the arsenal of criminal gangs on this side of the border.
Authorities in Vermont, just over the border from Quebec, released a public service announcement telling motorists returning from trips to Montreal to be on the lookout for tracking devices.
Cybersecurity experts say it’s a warning car owners across Canada should hear too.
Over the past month, three drivers have reported finding the suspended gadgets in their cars and an investigation is underway.
One theory that law enforcement officials are investigating is that this could be related to criminal gangs based in Montreal trying to move items such as firearms or small amounts of cash across the border.
“The theory would be that you would have individuals on both sides of the border,” said Ryan McLiverty, a cyber intelligence analyst with the Vermont Intelligence Center (VIC), an agency that collects, analyzes and disseminates intelligence information.
“The driver of the vehicle would not be aware that contraband was suspended in or on his vehicle, and it could be an easy way to move small items from one side and be picked up on the other.”
The agency works in conjunction with a host of others including the US Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection, as well as various law enforcement agencies in Canada.
The VIC says Montreal police have also suggested another theory: criminals planted the trackers in order to steal vehicles in a more convenient location. Car thefts have increased across this country, just as thieves have used increasingly sophisticated methods to bypass protection mechanisms on vehicles.
Over the past few months, police in several parts of Canada cracking down on car theft rings have warned motorists about tracking devices. In February, a Montreal man was charged after allegedly placing a tracker on vehicles parked at a Toronto mall.
Police say the quarter-sized devices can be difficult to find in a car, as they can be hidden in many places, such as behind the side mirror or in the wheel well. Researchers are looking at the methods they could use to store goods such as cash or guns.
Whatever the criminals’ intentions, cyber security experts say drivers who find gadgets like AirTags should report the discovery to authorities, and not ignore alerts that may appear on their phones.
“In most cases, people have had an alert on their iPhone from AirTag,” McLiverty said. “That’s how they’ve been able to report it to law enforcement. So be aware of unusual activity.”
A good rule of thumb, he says, is to familiarize yourself with gadgets including trackers and surveillance cameras used to boost security, and be aware that there could be a flip side.
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