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> He called police, who got a search warrant Kind of sad, that I was surprised they did that. It's definitely a local thing. I'd expect the police to shrug, an

• tamimio 2y ago
  My guess is the carpenter knows someone that knows someone in the police department that they actually did something, but in a normal situation, definitely they won’t bother.
  • FireBeyond 2y ago
    Yeah, I pointed the police to someone who was selling fifty plus obviously stolen MacBooks and iPhones, including mine (all described as "locked", "no charger, no accessories", etc., etc.) and the could not possibly care less. "He probably was not the one who stole them." "Isn't it still a crime to sell stolen goods?" "Shrug."
    • ToucanLoucan 2y ago
      The roots of police departments are the paid security forces of business owners, and their values as organizations reflect this. Business owners worked with local governments to create police departments to socialize some of the cost of securing their private property; their rented homes, their warehouses, their stores. And they reflect this to this day. Individual property crime doesn't mean shit. A criminal can sell your Macbook if they like, but if they steal from Apple itself? Oh man there will be hell to pay.
      • nickff 2y ago
        Where did you get this idea about the origins of police? It doesn’t agree with the history on Wikipedia, or my understanding of their origin (having more to do with rulers maintaining order). Corporations, and what you call ‘businesses’ are a very modern concept, long predated by rulers, courts, and police. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police
        • mingus88 2y ago
          OP’s description of police sounds very similar to the history of the Pinkerton organization in the U.S. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkerton_(detective_agency) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkerton_(detective_agency) Fast forward to today and it’s very common for private security to be composed of ex-cops and former military, creating a very fluid dynamic of all policing as a paramilitary organization in support of capitalism.
        • boomboomsubban 2y ago
          From your link >The first example of a statutory police force in the world was probably the High Constables of Edinburgh, formed in 1611 to police the streets of Edinburgh, then part of the Kingdom of Scotland. The constables, of whom half were merchants and half were craftsmen, were charged with enforcing 16 regulations relating to curfews, weapons, and theft. That sounds a lot like businesses working with government to secure their property.
          • nickff 2y ago
            Those 'statutory police' were predated by others by thousands of years, and it seems more like the king enlisted business owners to enforce the king's laws in the city than 'paid security forces of business owners'.
          • gravescale 2y ago
            Conversely, one of the first recognisably modern police force was Robert Peel's Metropolitan Police, which was explicitly not paramilitary and had (still does) a mandate to police by consent according to what are now called the Peelian Principles which quickly spread all round the country. This replaced, rather then grew out of, a mishmash of informal local watchmen and constables.
    • seanmcdirmid 2y ago
      If you are asking a best cop, what can they do? Legos shoplifted from Target were being openly sold at a thrift stall in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, everyone knew they were stolen, but until there was someone to formally connect the dots (they noticed legos from their store stolen at the thrift shop), the cops really couldn’t do anything about it.
      • hcknwscommenter 2y ago
        Seriously? Cops really can't do anything unless all the evidence is gathered by citizens and then handed to them?
        • seanmcdirmid 2y ago
          They have detectives and can go do stings and such. But a beat cop, no, not really.
          • themacguffinman 2y ago
            It's possible for a beat cop to hand off a complicated case to detectives in their police department. I realize this kind of collaboration requires the police to give a shit, but it is possible.
• doctoboggan 2y ago
  I am also surprised they got a warrant based on AirTag data, especially with stories like this: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/us/denver-police-raid-wrong-house-verdict/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/us/denver-police-raid-wrong-h... I suspect there has to be more evidence than just the AirTag, but it is possible that the police used that tip to kick off an investigation that ultimately led to the warrant and search. Or they already started building a case. Based off the estimated 15,000 stolen tools, this theft ring was in the millions of dollars and was quite possibly already on their radar.
  • duxup 2y ago
    Warrant doesn't mean they had to go all storm trooper in that situation either, that would lower the risks. I suspect just one more data point would be pretty easy to manage, peek in a window, or even have the dude drive around the facility and see if the location was consistently reporting.
  • instagib 2y ago
    Need to stick a camera on something like the Optimus 3 tracker with gps/cellular then although it’s already pretty large. Then you have proof where it is and pictures of the inside of the place. https://www.amazon.com/Jiobit-Real-Time-Waterproof-Encrypted-Long-lasting/dp/B0C46YNSDP https://www.amazon.com/Jiobit-Real-Time-Waterproof-Encrypted...
  • LorenPechtel 2y ago
    Storage unit. You can drive right up to the door and use the precision tracking to confirm it's in there. And it's single story so you're not going to have a problem with it being upstairs. They might also have had permission from the owner to hunt for the tag.
• tantalor 2y ago
  I guess tracing the stolen property to a huge storage facility vs house makes a big difference to the district attorney. Big time vs. small beans
  • CaptainOfCoit 2y ago
    Absolutely. Track down a purse + contents worth what, 200 USD, versus track down someone(s) who routinely steals professional-grade tooling, where probably each tool is worth 200 USD each, and it seems a lot of them were stolen. The scale seems very different to reach any such conclusion as grand-parent.
  • gosub100 2y ago
    small beans matter if you're a corporation. I've noticed my local news outlet loves to showcase footage of shoplifters from big-box stores (the kind that use government welfare to build their stores, don't pay any taxes, don't pay employees a livable wage, hire "part time" 39 1/2 hour employees so they don't have to pay insurance) asking the public to help crack the case for a $200 power tool, but if any average burglary victim tried to get news coverage about $2k of stolen goods they wouldn't stand a chance.
• GeekyBear 2y ago
  I think it's dependent on the local government. There are cities that have gotten proactive and fought against high car theft rates by handing out free Bluetooth trackers to the public and having people hide them in their car.
• bagels 2y ago
  It's more sad that your expectations would be met in most places.
• nytesky 2y ago
  Maybe they don’t advertise AirTags as antitheft, but this Apple Ad had the owners sleuthing after laptop thieves via Apple device tracking https://youtu.be/asKvPLmjxXY?si=bkHzT42gSzhjDWqE https://youtu.be/asKvPLmjxXY?si=bkHzT42gSzhjDWqE
• nashashmi 2y ago
  Also not to be used for tracking someone you are stalking.
• dmitrygr 2y ago
  "OK, I have a gun and I'll go get my stuff myself" is not illegal to say and 100% gets police to show up. Source: tried it more than once
  • rdtsc 2y ago
    Not bad strategy. Though I can see, depending on their disposition them turning against you. "Oh, you have gun? Better not reach for it! Is it registered, where is it?". They could turn into assholes real fast if they feel like you're trying to force them to do something.
  • m463 2y ago
    some of that depends on the state/jurisdiction you're in. I think in texas you can defend your self/loved ones/property with a gun. In california, you can take a gun to the target range (in your trunk, unloaded). Not sure what else you can use a gun for except maybe get in trouble.
    • fragmede 2y ago
      California's not happy about guns existing, but if you're being attacked in your home, there are some limited carve outs.
    • vedmed 2y ago
      In California you can get a CCW and carry it almost everywhere.
  • vundercind 2y ago
    The single case of theft I personally know about ever being acted on by the police, was when a business owner spotted the van that’d been present at burglaries of his business and several others (several of them had footage of the van, the thieves, and legible shots of the license plate—cops didn’t care), called the police to report it, and, when they still acted reluctant to do anything, said “you better come down here or I’ll confront them myself”. I assume what got them to show up was that they didn’t want the bad press if the dude got shot.
• PointyDog 2y ago
  I lived in Howard County for a year. With the combination of county income tax and affluent property taxes, every service was exceptionally well funded. Having lived in Mountain View & Sunnyvale, CA as well for a decade my experience was Howard County itself had quicker and better services than those cities. It doesn't surprise me at all that their police department is competent and helpful.
  • 1024core 2y ago
    You will find similar pockets of responsive police in areas like Piedmont (in Oakland), Atherton, Hillsborough, etc.
    • talldatethrow 2y ago
      Kensington Police (near Berkeley) knew me, my car, and my two motorcycles just on a semi friendly basis. I didn't live there. I was just dating a girl who lived there her whole life. Small town life exists even in major metro areas if you're wealthy.
    • codezero 2y ago
      The Atherton police reports are hilarious. I can't find the site readily, but I remember reading some of them when I worked in Mountain View. Things like calling the police because landscapers are mowing the lawn loudly, or because there's someone dressed as Santa Claus walking down a sidewalk. edit: found it, the Santa line made it easy to search for lol: https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/08/27/the-best-of-atherton-police-blotter/ https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/08/27/the-best-of-atherton-... Some highlights A resident reported a large light in the sky. It was the moon. A man was reported to be lying on the ground, possibly writing.
  • hangonhn 2y ago
    My buddy got his bike stolen in Mountain View. Not only did the police find his bike they also arrested the thief. Another buddy was woken up one night by a drunken stranger pounding on his door. He called the MVPD and within 5 minutes 3 squad cars showed up. I used to live in Dallas. One night an entire floor of cars parked in my apartment garage was broken into. I called the police and reported it. Then I asked when they're coming and if I should stick around to wait for them. They told me they're not coming. The next night, the thieves returned and broke into all the cars on the next garage level. Funding really matters. Mountain View is one of the handful of cities in the country with a triple-A municipal bond rating.
• burningChrome 2y ago
  >> Kind of sad, that I was surprised they did that. It's definitely a local thing. I'd expect the police to shrug, and say it's too bad, just file a report to use for insurance. Two years ago, WhistlinDiesel youtuber used trail camera's and his air tags to bust his neighbors stealing from him. It took a few calls, but he got it done. He was smart and used the cops as mediators and didn't just go over and start yelling at the dude to get his stuff back. https://youtu.be/rnFOWvAAapU?si=lqkQBFijR3U2UdSJ https://youtu.be/rnFOWvAAapU?si=lqkQBFijR3U2UdSJ
• diogenescynic 2y ago
  In California, they definitely wouldn't do anything.
• diebeforei485 2y ago
  > Apple, on the other hand, is also explicit about tags not to be used as an anti-theft device. Apple is well aware people use it as an anti-theft device, just as Unilever is well aware that people use Q-Tips in their ears.
• willcipriano 2y ago
  A lot of cops are from working class backgrounds, stealing a man's tools is an old school, working class, "faux pas" for lack of a better term. Steal a guys watch or TV, fine. He will go without. Steal his tools and his kids don't get Christmas. Even the most gruesome mob hitmen would turn their noses up at stealing a working man's tools.
• ipqk 2y ago
  So implicit, not explicit.
• jfoster 2y ago
  Apple can't acknowledge that Airtags are an anti-theft device, because if they do, they would also be implicitly acknowledging that they are a stalking device. The only reason why they can sometimes work against theft is because thieves do not realize they are being tracked. That's because Apple's anti-stalking measures are sometimes insufficient.
  • seanmcdirmid 2y ago
    The fact that police aren’t going after stalkers anymore also doesn’t help. But ya, it’s impossible to tell the difference between a stalker and someone just trying to recover their stuff.
    • deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
• russdill 2y ago
  It likely has to do with the dollar amount.
• chongli 2y ago
  Apple, on the other hand, is also explicit about tags not to be used as an anti-theft device. The word "theft" doesn't appear even once on… As well they should. The last thing Apple wants is some parent tracking down their kid’s stolen bicycle using an AirTag and wind up getting killed by the thief. They want people using these things the way my dad uses them: to find his car keys (or whatever else he might lose)!
  • scrollop 2y ago
    Which is perhaps why they have the anti stalking sound.
    • saagarjha 2y ago
      This is of course to prevent stalking.
• mlinhares 2y ago
  I shamelessly contribute to the local sheriff's association in the hopes i'll get better treatment if i ever need them, not the best deal ever but i've seen it work elsewhere so :shrug:
  • throwaway48476 2y ago
    If you're in any area that doesn't have permitless carry your contribution may buy you a CPL.
    • GartzenDeHaes 2y ago
      Remember George Zimmerman? People aren't going to do what you say just because you have a gun.
      • throwaway48476 2y ago
        Most people are dumb.
    • mlinhares 2y ago
      I don’t need protection from criminals, there’s very little crime here, I need protection from the cops.
• mschuster91 2y ago
  > Apple, on the other hand, is also explicit about tags not to be used as an anti-theft device. Because if people would rely on that then I'm pretty certain some would go and sue Apple if they fail to retrieve their property - e.g. because a thief noticed the "you're being tracked" notification on their iPhone or Android. OTOH I'd really really REALLY love it if all the modern cordless power tools and their batteries would come with smart tags integrated that work with Apple's, Google's and Samsung's Find My networks. And I'd love it if I could somehow tell my iPhone, my Android and my wife's Android which tags belong to the respective other... right now when we're travelling for longer than 2h, she gets notifications from my AirPods and keychain tracker, and I get a notification on each of my devices for her stuff. Makes the anti-stalker thing pretty useless if you routinely have to ignore it.
  • Eric_WVGG 2y ago
    The lawsuit wouldn’t be over the owner not getting their swag bag, it’d be over the injuries sustained by getting beaten over the head with a pipe wrench by the thief.
• williamdclt 2y ago
  FWIW, the London police was weirdly keen on finding my bike that was stolen with an airtag on it. Sent patrol several time over several weeks to chase after the thief. Not even in hope to unravel some big bike-stealing operation (they found it repainted and resold at a shop and didn't pursue further), just... keen, to my own great surprise. Would recommend airtagging: even if you aren't as lucky as I was, at least you'll have the reassurance of knowing you did what you could.
• bmicraft 2y ago
  > Apple [...] is also explicit about tags not to be used as an anti-theft device > The word "theft" doesn't appear even once That's pretty much the definition of implicit. You know, the exact opposite of explicit.
• ww520 2y ago
  In cities with less busy police departments, police actually do investigative work. I had police came by couple times asking for security footage for investigation nearby. One time it’s for a family member of a neighbor down the street “stole” a family car parked across the street. Another time was for an alarm wire tripped at 3am at a vacant house couple houses down the street. The footage showed a guy riding a bike slowly casing the houses along the street and 15 minutes later 3 cops spread out walking down the street sweeping the street with flashlights. I was quite impressed with the response time.
  • Spooky23 2y ago
    It depends on the department and who you get. In alot of places, police tend to take care of friends and referred people first. The top down control involved in that discourages the rank and file from doing more than required.
    • technothrasher 2y ago
      When I owned a liquor store many moons ago, the police in that city basically would only respond, at least in any reasonable time frame, to businesses who made regular donations to the "Policeman's Benevolent Society". They didn't even pretend to hide their racketeering; it was openly understood you paid up or you got ignored.
      • djmips 2y ago
        Was that just a social thing or could they make real coin?
        • technothrasher 2y ago
          I paid them $100/month, and as there was plenty of crime around, most of the other retail businesses no doubt paid up as well. I'm sure they made good money. I eventually had enough of not seeing much difference between the police and the gangs in town and sold the place.
• mmmBacon 2y ago
  My son’s E-bike was stolen. I hid an air tag inside the frame and tracked it to a house. Police came and helped me recover it. There are few things as satisfying as catching a thief.
• alsetmusic 2y ago
  The scale of the theft probably plays into it. I read about cops not helping to recover stolen bicycles. But multiple power tools could reach into felony territory, depending on their value. I’m happy this person didn’t get a “not our problem” response, but I’m not surprised that these items were deemed “important” enough to pursue. And what a haul on the bust! $3-5m (estimate) in multiple locations. Hope is get to read about the thieves getting pinched soon. Who knows, that huge caper in a Canadian airport just finally yielded arrests, so my optimism has been somewhat restored in _some_ aspects of the justice system.