Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A vintage Porsche 911 SC stolen in Genk was recovered within 20 minutes in Riemst, due to an AirTag hidden in the car, according to local police.
However, the automobile was found in Kanne (Riemst) only twenty minutes later because Peter had concealed multiple AirTags in it.
“There’s damage to the car, but we’re especially relieved that it was found,”
says Peter. Police suspect a professional gang is behind the theft.
According to Het Belang van Limburg, the owner verified the theft to VRT NWS on Friday night while Peter and his wife were dining in the heart of Genk, Belgium.
The 1978 Porsche 911 SC that the couple had parked on Dieplaan was gone when they got back from the restaurant two hours later.
“It’s our dream car, and it had an estimated value of around €65,000,”
Peter begins.
“When we parked it, my wife was a bit wary of leaving it there, and that fear turned out to be justified. But luckily, there were several trackers in the car. I had hidden the AirTags very well there because I wanted to prevent theft.”
Peter used the trackers to determine that the Porsche had stopped in Lanaken. He called the cops right away.
He noticed the car was parked in Kanne, Riemst, by the time we arrived at the Genk office to make a statement. They reported this right away. After that, the police moved swiftly, calling the Riemst police department, and our car was found 20 minutes later. Regretfully, there was some damage: the dashboard and the interior were both damaged, and the side window was broken.
The vehicle was removed for forensic analysis. The criminals were nowhere to be seen.
According to Genk police, it’s highly unusual for a stolen car to be recovered so quickly. “We do have technology to track stolen vehicles, but this time it’s been exceptionally fast. That’s thanks to the trackers, of course. They’ve been a great help,” said the CARMA police zone.
Peter is relieved that the Porsche was found.
“Without those AirTags, I undoubtedly would never have found my car again. I’m very happy. We’re car enthusiasts, and it hurts when your prized possession is stolen. I’m learning a lesson from this: I’m going to install a steering lock, and from now on, I always want to have a clear view of my car when I go out to eat.”
Peter suspects he’s dealing with a gang of thieves specializing in car theft.
“They knew exactly what they were doing. When they stopped in Lanaken, they threw our key ring—also with a tracker—out of the car and installed fake license plates. Those were also classic car plates, so we suspect it was a gang of car thieves. Fortunately, the police recovered everything.”
Dirk Claes, chief of the Bilzen-Hoeselt-Riemst police zone, also suspects that a gang of thieves is active. He confirms that an investigation into the theft is underway.
“It’s very clever of those people to put multiple trackers in the car. Unfortunately, we often see expensive cars being stolen in this region by professional gangs. The trail often leads to the Netherlands for resale. This time, too, the car was found at the Dutch border.”
The thieves are currently unaccounted for. The investigation will be taken up by the federal police if the trail goes to the Netherlands.
How effective was the AirTag in locating Peter’s Porsche during theft recovery?
The Apple AirTag was effective in locating Peter’s stolen Porsche quickly, enabling recovery just 20 minutes after the theft. By placing several AirTags discreetly inside the car, Peter was able to track its real-time location through Apple’s extensive Find My network, which relies on nearby Apple devices to update location data.
The AirTags provided almost immediate location information, leading to the car’s recovery in Kanne (Riemst) within a short time frame, demonstrating the device’s practical utility for quick theft response.
The success depended on sufficient Apple device density in the area to relay AirTag signals, which was available in this case and crucial for timely tracking.
Hiding multiple AirTags likely increased tracking reliability, as thieves might not find and remove all devices quickly.
