The AirTag Epidemic: The Rise of Technology-Enabled Stalking
Reports of stalking involving AirTags and GPS trackers have risen sharply in recent years, illustrating how inexpensive consumer technology can be misused to monitor another person’s movements.
Figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests and reported by The Independent indicated an 896% increase in stalking reports involving AirTags and GPS trackers between 2018 and 2024. The available figures came from 18 of the 44 police forces approached, so they do not provide a complete national total and should not be treated as representing every reported case in the UK.
The increase does not mean that AirTags themselves are inherently dangerous. They are designed to help owners locate personal belongings. The risk arises when trackers are deliberately concealed in vehicles, clothing, bags or other possessions to monitor someone without their knowledge or consent.
For victims of stalking, harassment or coercive control, a tracking device may form part of a wider pattern of behaviour rather than an isolated technical incident.
What the reported figures show
The reported 896% rise covered stalking reports involving both Apple AirTags and GPS trackers from 2018 to 2024.
This distinction is important because the category includes more than one type of device. A case may involve:
- a Bluetooth item tracker such as an AirTag;
- another compatible consumer location tracker;
- a battery-powered GPS device;
- a magnetic tracker attached to a vehicle;
- a hard-wired tracking unit;
- more than one device used at different times.
The figures also reflect police reports rather than proven offences or convictions. They are therefore best understood as an indication of increased reporting and concern, not as a precise measure of every incident occurring nationally.
The broader trend is nevertheless significant. The Crown Prosecution Service recognises that stalking may involve repeated, unwanted behaviour and that technology can form part of a wider pattern of monitoring, harassment or control.
Why consumer trackers can be misused
Small tracking devices are relatively inexpensive, easy to obtain and simple to conceal.
They may be placed in:
- vehicles;
- handbags and briefcases;
- coats and other clothing;
- luggage;
- children’s bags;
- work equipment;
- bicycles;
- personal belongings regularly carried outside the home.
A tracker does not necessarily provide continuous, real-time precision. However, it may still reveal patterns such as where someone lives, works, parks, travels or spends time.
Research into consumer location tags has shown that even delayed or intermittent location information can allow parts of a person’s movements to be reconstructed.
How unwanted-tracking alerts work
Modern Apple and Android devices include features intended to warn users when a compatible Bluetooth tracker that does not belong to them appears to be moving with them.
An alert may:
- identify that an unknown tracker has been detected;
- display a map showing where it was observed travelling with the user;
- allow the user to make the device play a sound;
- provide instructions for identifying or disabling it.
Apple explains that these protections are designed to discourage unwanted tracking and that an alert may sometimes have an innocent explanation, such as borrowed belongings or another person’s device travelling nearby.
An alert should therefore be assessed in context. Repeated notifications, unexplained knowledge of your movements or a history of threatening or controlling behaviour may justify further action.
The limitations of phone alerts
Phone alerts are an important safety feature, but they do not detect every form of tracking.
Limitations can include:
- alerts taking time to appear;
- difficulty locating a well-concealed device;
- trackers that do not use a compatible Bluetooth network;
- cellular GPS devices that behave differently from AirTags;
- modified or intermittently active equipment;
- devices installed inside vehicles;
- multiple trackers being used simultaneously.
A phone notification may identify one device while leaving unanswered whether other tracking or surveillance methods are also present.
For a fuller explanation of tracker types, vehicle inspections and professional detection methods, read AirTag and Covert GPS Tracker Detection: A Practical TSCM Guide.
What to do if you receive an unwanted-tracking alert
Your personal safety should come first.
Consider the following steps:
- Move to a safe or public location if you feel at risk.
- Avoid confronting the person you suspect may be responsible.
- Preserve screenshots of the alert and any location map.
- Record the date, time and circumstances.
- Follow the phone manufacturer’s instructions to locate the device where it is safe to do so.
- Contact the police if there is an immediate threat or suspected stalking.
- Seek specialist stalking or domestic-abuse support where relevant.
- Consider a broader technical inspection if the tracker cannot be found or additional devices may be present.
Apple advises users who believe their safety is at risk to move to a safe location and contact law enforcement. Its guidance also explains how to play a sound, identify a tracker and obtain its serial number or other available information.
Should you remove or disable the tracker?
Disabling a tracker may prevent further location updates, but immediately removing or destroying it may not always be the safest response.
Depending on the circumstances, this could:
- alert the person responsible;
- damage potential evidence;
- remove information about where it was concealed;
- interrupt a police or private investigation;
- increase the risk of confrontation.
Where possible, photograph the device in place, preserve screenshots and seek police or specialist advice before altering it.
If there is an immediate safety risk, prioritise leaving the location and contacting the emergency services over preserving the device.
Tracking as part of a wider pattern
The discovery of a tracker should not be considered separately from other behaviour.
Relevant warning signs may include:
- repeated unwanted contact;
- unexplained appearances at locations;
- threats or intimidation;
- access to personal belongings without permission;
- monitoring of social-media or online accounts;
- damage to vehicles or property;
- previous domestic abuse or coercive behaviour;
- attempts to isolate, frighten or control the victim.
Stalking investigations often depend on recognising a pattern rather than considering each incident in isolation. CPS guidance similarly emphasises the importance of identifying repeated and connected behaviour.
Technical detection may establish how someone is being monitored, but safeguarding, legal advice and further investigation may also be required.
The role of professional tracker detection
A professional inspection may be appropriate where:
- repeated alerts occur but no device can be found;
- a vehicle may have been accessed;
- the suspected person had access to clothing, bags or property;
- there is concern about more than one tracker;
- the device may be cellular, hard-wired or intermittently active;
- evidence needs to be documented carefully;
- stalking or coercive behaviour is already suspected.
Depending on the circumstances, an inspection may include physical examination, Bluetooth and radio-frequency assessment, vehicle inspection and documentation of any device discovered.
No inspection can guarantee that every possible threat has been eliminated. Its purpose is to assess the agreed areas and items, identify devices or suspicious modifications present at the time and support an informed response.
Tracker detection and TSCM support
Conflict International provides confidential inspections for suspected AirTags, GPS trackers and other covert surveillance devices.
Our work may include examinations of vehicles, clothing, personal belongings, residences and temporary locations, depending on the circumstances and agreed scope.
Learn more about our Counter-Surveillance and Bug Sweeps service, or contact us in confidence to discuss a specific concern.
Where there is an immediate threat to personal safety, contact the police before arranging a private inspection.