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Comment by ghaff

1 day ago

I do use airtags for this purpose. I also expect (and I read) that most police departments won't pay the slightest bit of attention to your reports.

> most police departments won't pay the slightest bit of attention to your reports

Its sort of a combination of two reasons.

First in many cities, police departments are underfunded. And so running around looking for your stolen phone or whatever minor item is low on their to-do list compared to say, stopping the local drug-gangs from shooting their brains out.

Second, for minor thefts most insurance companies just need a quick box-tick "police crime report number" before paying out. So if the police know they can get you off their backs just by quickly giving you a report number, well....

  • > compared to say, stopping the local drug-gangs from shoting their brains out

    I'm guessing people have that impression from TV, but it doesn't seem to match reality.

    > the data suggests that officers spend relatively little time responding to major violent crimes: 4%, 3.7% and 4.1% in the three locations, respectively.

    - https://www.freethink.com/society/how-police-spend-their-tim...

  • >stopping the local drug-gangs from shooting their brains out.

    Thats a good thing tho, its the problem(s) solving themselves.

  • And it's probably under your deductible anyway. And replacing various cards is your deal with your credit card etc. companies. Relatively few of us carry around a lot of cash.

I also know from experience that Zurich police will chase an AirTag location with vigor.

  • That sounds... unique from everything I've heard.

    • I had a backpack stolen from me at Zurich HB. The police sent a car out on the freeway to chase the train the thieves were on, and nabbed them at the next station. The thieves tossed the clothes I had in the bag, but I got my laptop back

Switzerland sends in swat for noise complaints, they would definitely care about a thief that could be caught.