Homeowner’s ingenious use of Apple Airtags tech praised after her pot plants were repeatedly stolen until she tracked the thief down
A couple whose front porch was hit by repeated plant thefts and who had little help from the police, have been praised online after they took matters into their own hands with the ingenious use of technology.
The alleged thief began her nighttime removal of potted philodendrons earlier this year, but the police were not able to do anything as there was not enough evidence.
So, the Adelaide husband and wife decided to use high tech equipment – security cameras and tracking devices – to track down the culprit.
‘I decided to go all in. I bought a pack of Apple Airtags and planted them on the best-looking plants I have left,’ the plant owners posted on Reddit.
‘It was quiet for a month and a half and then she turned up again at 11pm two days ago.’
A couple whose front porch was hit by repeated plant thefts and who had little help from the police, took matters into their own hands with the ingenious use of technology. The alleged thief is pictured
After that latest alleged theft, the owner was able to find where it had been taken to thanks to the Airtag tracker.
After staking out the house, the white car seen on the security camera footage then confirmed to them that they had found the right address and who the culprit was.
‘I immediately provided the address and licence plate and updated my case with the police,’ they said.
Then on Wednesday, after months of plant thefts, the owner claimed a ‘patrol team of three officers’ told them that they were going to ‘retrieve the plants’.
‘They went to the house, but no one answered the door, so they checked the backyard and found those plants,’ they claimed.
‘The (alleged) thieves repotted two plants, but the patrols could still recognise them.
‘After getting approval another two officers rocked up in a ute and returned those plants to me.’
A police spokesperson said officers ‘were alerted that, after a resident had several pot plants stolen from the front of their house in recent weeks, the victim had placed an Airtag in a new pot plant, which had also been stolen.
‘Police located the plants at a Blair Athol address yesterday, Wednesday 27 March and were able to return them to the owner.
‘Investigations are continuing,’ the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
The successful private investigations carried out by the couple have been praised by commenters under posts about the case.
‘You are an absolute legend,’ one said.
The alleged thief is pictured sprinting away from the scene of another plant theft
‘I would love to hear the final outcome of the thieves getting their comeuppance in court,’ another wrote.
‘There is so much injustice perpetrated by a******s these days that (we) can do nothing about — it’s so satisfying to hear when finally a good outcome occurs.
‘I applaud you on your perseverance and hard work.’
Others kept their praise simple and to the point, with one writing ‘Well done you. That is some fine detective work.’
