An airport worker stole $15,000 of valuables and an AirTag that leads the police to him

You've undoubtedly heard of Apple's AirTags tracking device. The AirTags are designed to be used with the FindMy app to monitor your belongings like a bike, handbag, luggage (more on that later), musical instruments, and even your dog. On the other hand, they've been utilized to stalk individuals and follow automobiles in illegal methods that Apple never intended them to be utilized for.

The AirTags have a lot of potential; it all comes down to the person who uses them. Last week, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) issued a press release announcing the arrest of 19-year-old Giovanni De Luca, who was charged with two counts of grand theft. De Luca worked as a subcontractor at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport and had apparent access to luggage belonging to passengers.

Last month, a bag containing valuables worth $1,600 vanished after it never arrived at its destination. The AirTag in the luggage revealed that the tracker was in the vicinity of Kathy Court in Mary Esther. Only a few days ago, another passenger claimed that over $15,000 worth of jewelry and other items had been stolen from his luggage. With the AirTag from the missing suitcase discovered at Kathy Court, police went through a list of airport employees who lived there and found De Luca's name.

De Luca was visited by authorities from OSCO at his residence in Kathy Court. The valuables worth $15,000 that were missing from the second victim's luggage were found during the meeting, and De Luca acknowledged to going through the first victim's luggage and taking the Apple AirTag inside. Because it offered deputies a starting point for their investigation, his arrest may have been facilitated by this move. Other possessions from that bag remain to be discovered, in addition to the AirTag.

"This arrest is an example of excellent collaboration by our Airport Security Unit, Investigators, and the Airport in finding the person responsible for these robberies and ensuring that he is held accountable," said Sheriff Eric Aden from the OCSO. Fortunately, De Luca appears to have been unaware of current technologies since it does not appear to have occurred to him that his position could be tracked by that apple-shaped device with the Apple logo inside the first bag.