AirTag Helps Track Down Stolen Luggage From Charlotte Douglas International Airport

The Gavinos, hailing from the Miami area, had planned to spend their Christmas holiday in the Carolinas. However, upon their arrival at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport on a Friday afternoon, they discovered that one of their bags was missing from the baggage claim.

This mishap led to an unexpected application of Catherine Gavino’s recent purchase — an AirTag from Apple. The tech-savvy item, designed to assist in locating lost possessions, was new in her repertoire of tools. Catherine had purchased the device the night before their flight from Charlotte, after being influenced by several online personalities endorsing its utility.

Following the process she had learned from a YouTube tutorial, Catherine used her phone to track her Apple AirTag, which was securely hidden in her parents’ luggage. To her surprise, the device indicated that it was en route on Interstate 85, heading west toward Gastonia.

Swift to act, the Gavino family rented vehicles and traced their AirTag, ending up in a neighborhood. However, they couldn’t pinpoint the exact location, as the AirTag ceased to display its location beyond a certain point — thus halting their search for the day. Throughout their trip, their AirTag intermittently showed up around Gastonia and South Carolina. The missing suitcase was filled with clothing intended for their holiday, forcing the family to replace everything while they were away.

AirTags Solve the Charlotte Douglas International Airport Case

On Christmas Day, the Gavino family opted for one last attempt at tracking their stolen luggage. While dropping off two family members at the airport, Catherine checked the AirTag’s location again, which led them to a house on McGuire Street in Gastonia.

Upon contacting the police, the Gavino family discovered that their suitcase and the luggage of another unfortunate victim were found within the residence. This led to the arrest and charging of the suspected thief with multiple counts of theft and a drug-related offense. The individual is currently being held on a $10,000 bond.

Catherine relayed to Queen City News that the police informed her that another individual had faced a similar predicament and also used an AirTag to track their stolen property, shedding light on the effectiveness of this innovative piece of technology. Although the Gavino’s belongings were mostly missing, suspected to have been sold off, the arduous journey to reclaim their stolen luggage highlighted the efficacy of the AirTag and the determination of the Gavino family.