AirTag dẫn đường cho thám tử sai nhà đầu tiên trong tìm kiếm bảng quảng cáo chiến dịch chính trị bị đánh cắp

CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — Detectives using an Apple AirTag to search for 72 stolen political campaign signs initially searched the wrong house.

The 72 political campaign signs stolen from Antrim County were found in Charlevoix County Tuesday.

Tony and Kylie Magnus reached out to UpNorthLive to explain before the signs were found at their neighbor’s house, detectives were at their door questioning them about the stolen signs.

When there are police swarming your house a lot of the day, it causes some attention.

Tony said he was working from home and on a call when detectives from both Charlevoix and Antrim County Sheriff Offices knocked on his door. The interaction was captured on the Magnus’ Ring camera. They asked Tony if he knew anything about the theft of political signs.

“And of course I said, no,” recalled Tony. “Then he (the detective) proceeded to tell me that they had a tracker that was showing that actually they were here at this house.”

While detectives began a search for the signs, Kylie was still upstairs.

“She was upstairs sort of getting dressed, she was moving around, and that sort of piqued their interest,” said Tony. “So, they said, ‘Well, she seems to be moving around a lot’ I said, ‘Well, she’s getting dressed’ and then one of the officers said, ‘Well, when I get dressed, I usually just stand still.'”

“Kind of insinuated that I was upstairs hiding evidence,” said Kylie. “Saying things like, ‘Well, why are you allegedly getting dressed upstairs?’ and things like that. I was more shocked and confused.”

Tony and Kylie said detectives insisted the stolen signs had to be in the Magnus home because the Apple AirTag they were tracking said it was there.

“They went upstairs, they went through everything,” recalled Kylie. “I could hear them opening my drawers. I don’t know if you’ve ever had anybody look through all your personal belongings. It’s highly invasive. It’s awful.”

“Somebody had a trail cam or something on some signs being stolen,” said Tony. “They said, ‘Do you know this person?’ and it clearly wasn’t me or Kylie. I mean, you could clearly see it wasn’t either of us, and it had footage of their car. It clearly wasn’t our car either.”

Tony and Kylie said detectives were at their home searching for a few hours while they had the owner of the AirTag show up to see if he could track a more accurate location. That location ended up being next door to the Magnus house where detectives spotted the signs through a window.

“They kind of came to the back door, but they didn’t say what I was expecting,” said Kylie. “I expected that, ‘We’re so sorry. We completely got this wrong, but never fear, we’ve made an arrest, and thank you for your cooperation,’ Nothing like that.”

Tony and Kylie said they don’t want the same thing happening to something else.

“This has been a big issue in the community, and I understand I wouldn’t want people doing that on my property. Everybody knows what’s wrong and what’s right. Nobody should be stealing signs. Nobody should be trespassing. Nobody should be damaging anything. I understand all of that,” said Kylie. “But it’s just frightening how we found ourselves in that situation because of that technology.”

Tony and Kylie said they’re concerned the AirTag was considered a probable enough cause to issue a warrant for their property.

Is that enough for a warrant these days? Apparently, it is.

UpNorthLive brought Tony and Kylie’s concerns to the Antrim County Sheriff’s Office Friday. The Undersheriff shared this statement:

“Our detectives were acting, in good faith, on the evidence they had. As it turns out the stolen property was located in the building right next door about 20 to 30 feet away. The search of the first home was not contentious and done in a respectful considerate manner. We regret for interrupting the first home owners day.”

Charlevoix County Prosecuting Attorney Kit Tholen said a search warrant was drafted for the house next door to the Magnus home by the Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office.

The search warrant was drafted after the AirTag was tracked more accurately to the house next door where the stolen signs could be seen through a window.

A 27-year-old Charlevoix man was the one arrested for allegedly stealing the signs. He faces larceny charges and charges of concealing stolen property.