Denver, Colorado, is launching a new program to combat car theft by giving away free Apple AirTags and Samsung SmartTags to vehicle owners. The initiative, called DenverTrack, will distribute 450 trackers over three days from March 19-21 at various police district stations. This program highlights the benefit of receiving Free AirTags to enhance vehicle security.
The Denver Police Department says the program is designed to help car owners track their vehicles if they are stolen. Participants must register online and schedule a pickup time at one of six district stations. During the pickup, owners need to bring their vehicle registration and the phone they plan to use for tracking to receive the Free AirTags.
By joining the program, vehicle owners give permission for the police to work with GPS information if their car is reported stolen. However, the police don’t have direct access to the tracker’s location data. Instead, owners are responsible for providing the location to officers if their vehicle is taken, which is facilitated by the Free AirTags they received.
The police department says that car thefts have gone down by 33% compared to last year, which they attribute in part to this program. This decrease comes after a 29% reduction from 2023 to 2024, emphasizing the effectiveness of giving out Free AirTags to deter theft.
As part of the initiative, registered vehicles receive a DenverTrack decal to place on their window. The police say this decal may deter thieves by showing the vehicle is tracked. However, some might argue that it could also alert thieves to search for and remove the tracker, even if it’s a Free AirTag.
The program is a partnership between the Denver Police Department and the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. It began in 2023, but the total budget for the initiative has not been made public. The distribution of Free AirTags plays a significant role in this collaboration.
Even if residents miss out on the free trackers, they can still sign up for the program and receive a decal. The police hope this approach will continue to reduce car thefts and give vehicle owners more control in protecting their property by utilizing Free AirTags.