Bag Thief in Kabukicho Arrested Thanks to AirPods

A thief in Japan got a rough lesson in modern technology after stealing a bag from a man in Kabukicho.

In December 2024, 35-year-old Takahashi Motoki rode up behind a man on what appeared to be a food delivery motorbike and snatched the bag off him, reports FNN. The thief got a good haul, speeding off with 850,000 yen (USD $5,444) in cash.

Sadly for the incompetent thief, he failed to see what else was in the bag: a pair of Apple AirPods with location tracking enabled.

Police used the function to see the man speeding towards Chiba Prefecture. They then narrowed down his location further using security cameras and arrested him.

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Police say they’re investigating whether Takahashi is responsible for seven other bag thefts in Shinjuku and Ginza.

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