A couple from London successfully tracked down and recovered their stolen Jaguar using an Apple AirTag after police appeared “too stretched” to provide immediate assistance. So they ended up asking, when AirTag finds a stolen car, who needs the cops?

Mia Forbes Pirie and her husband Mark Simpson discovered their $60,000 Jaguar E-Pace missing from outside their home June 3. They called the police and even explained the bit about the AirTag showing the car’s specific location in town. But they found themselves on their own, at least at first.

AirTag helps London couple swipe back their stolen Jaguar

When the couple reported the theft to London Metropolitan Police, they explained they had an AirTag tracking device in the vehicle that could pinpoint its exact location, not far away. However, after what they described as a “vague” response, they decided to use Apple’s Find My technology to locate and retrieve the car themselves, which they told police, too, according to BBC News. And in what seems like it would be a highly unlikely response in places like the United States because of concerns over violence and resulting liability, the police simply said the couple should report back if they needed help at the scene.

While it might not go down this way everywhere, this particular incident ended well. For Apple users and others, it demonstrates the practical security benefits of AirTags beyond their intended purpose of tracking keys and bags. The small, affordable devices can serve as an effective backup security measure for vehicles, providing location data that proves invaluable when traditional security systems fail and police resources are limited.

Apple’s tracking technology proves crucial

The stolen Jaguar bristled with security features, including two immobilizers that should have prevented theft. One immobilizer required a specific PIN code to start the vehicle. And an Apple AirTag hidden inside provided real-time location tracking through Apple’s vast network of devices.

Forbes Pirie initially thought the disappearance seemed unusual given the car’s security features.

“I thought it was weird, we both thought it was unlikely it was stolen because it had two immobilizers and so I was quite shocked and my stomach dropped,” she said.

After calling to report the theft, the couple received what they felt was an inadequate response. Officers merely suggested they might send a patrol car and would contact the couple if they discovered anything. And when Forbes Pirie informed police their AirTag showed the vehicle’s location just nine minutes away, cops’ urgency failed to increase.

Taking matters into their own hands

Concerned that thieves might discover and discard the AirTag, leaving them without a way to track the vehicle, the couple decided to act fast.

The AirTag led them directly to their Jaguar, parked on a neighborhood street. The thieves had managed to bypass the car’s original immobilizer, though not the additional security system the couple had installed. So that meant the couple needed to contact the security software company to unlock their own vehicle after providing proof of ownership.

Forbes Pirie described the thieves as “quite sophisticated.” She noted they did “quite a good job” attempting to defeat the car’s security systems. The incident highlights both the capabilities of modern car thieves and the value of additional tracking technology like AirTag for vehicle recovery.

Rising car theft challenges police resources

The couple’s experience reflects broader challenges facing police in London and elsewhere. Metropolitan Police figures show 33,530 motor vehicle thefts in 2024. That’s a 1.6% increase from the previous year. More concerning for victims, only 326 cases resulted in “positive outcomes,” such as charges or cautions. That success rate falls below 1%.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed to BBC News that officers were informed of the couple’s intention to recover the vehicle and were told to contact police if assistance was needed. The investigation remains ongoing, with officers meeting the victims as part of their inquiries.