Apple’s Find My App Misleads Police To Raid an Old Lady’s Apartment

A Denver, Colorado SWAT team has swooped on an old lady’s apartment after being notified that a stolen iPhone was tracked to the apartment. The incident reportedly saw the Police using maximum force to gain entry into the apartment, with damage to doors and other household items. The detective that led that raid is now facing charges for the damage.

It has been a mixed bag of fortunes for Apple’s AirTags and its Find My app. While it has led to the recovery of many stolen and missing items, the use of the devices for stalking has also been well-reported. The present incident is just another perspective on how law enforcement officers should be more circumspect in dealing with such information.

The case relates to a stolen truck with guns, drones, cash, and an iPhone inside. The truck was stolen earlier this year from a Denver Hyatt hotel. In investigating the case, Detective Gary Staab was informed by the victim that Apple’s Find My app pinpointed the apartment as the location of the smartphone. The detective, acting on that information, secured a warrant to raid the place.

Unfortunately, the location was a false negative, as Staab executed the warrant with some force and he left destruction in his trail. The person found inside the apartment was a 77-year-old lady and none of the missing items were found in the house. The SWAT team allegedly destroyed several valuables in the house. They reportedly used a battering ram to destroy two doors in the apartment. The detective has been reportedly sued for failure to verify the location independently. The grave error of judgment by the Denver Police Department was further exacerbated because of its inability to apologize for the incident.

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