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Crime

04th Apr 2023

Man uses AirTag to allegedly ‘track down and kill thief’ who stole his truck

Steve Hopkins

A man whose truck was stolen allegedly tracked down the suspected thief using an Apple AirTag and shot him dead.

San Antonio Police said the truck owner called 911 after discovering that his Chevy Silverado was missing but then took matters into his own hands tracking the vehicle down to a shopping centre 20 miles away.

The man, along with two family members, approached a man inside the truck which led to a confrontation on March 29, police said.

KSAT reported that as a result, Andrew John Herrera, 44, died from a gunshot wound to the head.

His death is being ruled as a homicide, but police are still determining if the suspect who fired the gun will be charged.

AirTags are roughly the size of a coin and pair with other Apple devices and can be tracked via the Find Me app. According to Apple, the device is designed to “discourage unwanted tracking”, and is an a “super-easy way to keep track of your stuff” and easily locate it if it becomes lost.

At a press conference, police said the owner of the truck confronted Herrera, and claims he saw a weapon present before shooting.

Police have not said if they located a weapon in his presence.

Officer Nick Soliz urged people not to take “matters into their own hands”.

It is legal to carry a gun in Texas and to use deadly force to defend themselves from apparent and imminent danger.