Man Gets Luggage Back After Using AirTag to Track Bag Stolen From Atlanta Airport

Police in Atlanta have arrested a man who’s been accused of taking people’s luggage at the airport. His crime was discovered when one of his victims tracked their luggage through his Apple AirTag.

According to Newsweek, the accused thief, Craig Nelson, was picked up by Atlanta police officers and arrested and charged with theft by taking unlawful removal of baggage, and criminal trespass.

The incident took place at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.

The man who helped the police apprehend Nelson, Jameel Reid, stated that he tracked him down because his luggage was equipped with an Apple AirTag. It was in his bag as he was returning to Atlanta from Los Angeles.

He told WSB-TV that he had about $3,000 worth of stuff in his bag.

“I’m going to baggage claim and all that…I’m trying to look for my luggage. I’m standing there for like 30 minutes or so. I’m not seeing it,” said Reid. After realizing that his luggage was nowhere to be found, he decided to check his tracking device.

“Eventually, I pulled my phone out, so I have an Air Tag in my luggage. After I had seen that it was not in the airport, it was actually in Grady.”

He then stated that he noticed that the AirTag signaled that it was heading back to Hartsfield-Jackson. That’s when he contacted airport security, took his phone out, and followed the tracking device. It led him straight to Nelson.

Reid confronted the thief and noticed that he was wearing some clothes of his.

“This silver one here, I have a tracking device in it and I tracked it to you. And you have my shirt on…that’s insane. My shirt and my jeans,” said Reid.

Relieved that he received his possessions back, Reid said he has concerns about security at the airport.

“You can literally walk into baggage claim, like walk straight in and possibly take somebody’s luggage and walk out and nobody would even know.”

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said they are cooperating with Atlanta Police.