They’re not just for locating your luggage at the airport or finding where you put your keys. D.C. is hoping that digital tracking tags, such as Apple AirTags, can help get your vehicle back amid a rise in carjackings in the District.
Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. acting police Chief Pamela Smith introduced a pilot program Wednesday that gives out free digital trackers to residents who live in communities where the mayor said they are seeing the highest amounts of motor vehicle thefts.
This includes those who live in certain police service areas in the city. They are:
- PSA 106, which includes Navy Yard and part of Capitol Hill
- PSA 501, which includes the Gallaudet area/Union Market area
- PSA 502, which includes Edgewood/Eckington
- PSA 603, which includes Benning Road
- PSA 605, which includes Fort Dupont
- PSA 606, which includes the Hill Crest/Naylor Gardens area
You can find which PSA you’re in by visiting the D.C. police website.
“These tags and tiles will help MPD recover stolen vehicles and hold people accountable,” Bowser said. “The word will also get out that this is not a community to come in and steal cars because it won’t be worth your while.”
Smith said that the department has seen a “significant increase” in the number of stolen vehicles and carjackings — up 36% this year over last year.
“Air tags and tile tags tracking devices allow MPD officers and detectives the ability to quickly locate a stolen vehicle,” Smith said, adding that while the person who took the car may not always be present, the tracking devices will help recover the property and potentially recover key pieces of evidence.
Moreover, Smith said that the tracking tags can develop information that can lead to identifying those who are stealing vehicles.
“What we know is individuals that are involved in this type of criminal activity often commit multiple offenses, and a single arrest can help bring closure to multiple cases,” Smith said.
Will DC police know where vehicle owners are going?
Smith said that the tracking device can only be accessed by the owner of the device. That means that for police to know where the tracker is, the owner will need to share that information.
The police chief did not say how many AirTags or tiles the city will hand out, but said that they will be distributed to eligible residents at some police stations, where there will be officers who can help install them. Here’s where you can find them:
- Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 100 I (Eye) St. SE (PSA 106)
- Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1309 5th St. NE (PSAs 501 & 502)
- Thursday, Nov. 9 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 3200 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Rear Parking Lot (PSAs 605 & 606)
“All residents need to do is come out with an identification corresponding to one of the six PSAs mentioned and we will do the rest,” Smith said.
Smith said that officers over the summer began to notice that stolen vehicles with Apple AirTags or other tracking devices allowed police to safely track and more easily recover stolen vehicles.
On whether officers can go track a stolen vehicle right after it has been stolen with the D.C.’s current chase law, Smith said that there has to be an imminent threat of death or serious injury before a pursuit can happen.
“We typically don’t just go after cars for a traffic infraction or traffic violation. But what this will do is allow us to recover the vehicle faster,” Smith said.
The tracking tag distribution is the latest in the District’s efforts to prevent vehicle theft. Over the summer, D.C. launched a mobile clinic to install security upgrades on Hyundais, which are prone to theft because of software issues.
The District is also giving out free dashcams to D.C. residents who work as ride-share or delivery drivers. Eligible drivers can get the cameras on Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at RFK Parking Lot 3.
Bowser said in a statement that cameras “help deter crime and video evidence is often critical for closing cases.” She encouraged drivers to get them.
The dashcam program, which was announced earlier this year, is funded in part by a $500,000 investment from DoorDash.
John Horton, DoorDash’s head of U.S. Policy, said in a statement that he hopes that those who get the cameras will have an “even greater peace of mind when out on the road.”
Eligible drivers can apply to get the dashcam by vising the Department of For-Hire Vehicles application form website.
Editor’s Note: Union Market is one of the areas included in this program.
