Airline Worker Allegedly Stole Luggage Worth More Than Thousands of Dollars, Apple AirTag Tracks Down Thief

A 19-year-old Florida airline worker was arrested and charged with two counts of grand theft after an Apple AirTag helped police track down the missing items.

According to Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, Giovanni De Luca, an airline subcontractor at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, is charged with two counts of grand theft in connection to travelers' missing suitcases.

More than $1,600 worth of items went missing in July. According to the owner, an Apple AirTag in her suitcase was last activated in Mary Esther, Florida. Meanwhile, another traveler flying into the same airport also reported missing luggage containing more than $15,000 worth of jewelry.

Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office investigators reportedly used the airline database to check all employees who lived near the location where the AirTag was last activated. The investigation led them to De Luca. The police then made "consensual contact" with De Luca at his home, where they found the missing items.

De Luca admitted to removing the Apple AirTag from the first victim's bag; however, he failed to execute it quickly as the investigators managed to track him down. The items of the first victim have not been recovered. The authorities only recovered the more than $15,000 worth of jewelry that was stolen from the second victim's luggage.

"This arrest is an example of excellent teamwork by our Airport Security Unit, our Investigators, and the Airport to find the person responsible for these thefts and make sure he is held responsible," said Sheriff Eric Aden in a statement.

The AirTag was officially released in April 2021. It is described as a quarter-sized device that Apple labels as "a super-easy way to keep track of your stuff."

Apple AirTags have safety features for the users because sometimes it is used to track and stalk victims, as confirmed by several police departments. It can tell when an AirTag has been separated from its original owner. Consumers can quickly attach the AirTag to a phone, a set of keys and luggage in order to keep track of their items using Apple's "Find My" application – which permits users to track Apple devices.