Most travelers assume airport and airline employees are screened carefully enough that theft isn’t something they need to worry about.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Over the years there have been multiple reports of airport workers stealing from passengers, including a security officer caught swallowing $300 in cash and an airline employee who was arrested for luggage theft.
Now a traveler says their AirPods were stolen during a flight connection — and while the airline declined to pursue the issue, the passenger still found a way, via Apple’s Find My network, to get a little revenge.
The story begins with a layover
The story was posted on Reddit by a user with the handle of u/jadewildaz.
According to the post, the traveler had been flying on United Airlines about six months ago and had a layover in Houston.
After deplaning and heading through the airport, they realized their AirPods were missing from their pocket.
Jadewildaz immediately filed a lost item report with United, providing detailed information including:
-
the color of the silicone case
-
flight and plane information
-
their seat number
They also placed the AirPods into Lost Mode using Apple’s Find My system and included their phone number so anyone who found them could contact them.
The tracking led somewhere unexpected
When Jadewildaz checked the location of the AirPods, they noticed something interesting. The headphones appeared to move from the aircraft to what looked like a United employee area inside the airport.
Looking back, the passenger believes the signal may have been coming from employee locker areas.
About 24 hours later, the AirPods moved again — this time to a nearby apartment building.
From there, the headphones continued traveling back and forth between the airport and the apartment.
They gave the airline the information
Jadewildaz said they kept track of the AirPods’ movement and shared everything with United, including:
- the apartment address
- a schedule of when the headphones traveled between the apartment and airport
- the days and times they appeared to be at work
Based on the pattern, they believed the AirPods were being used by an airport or airline employee.
However, United reportedly told them that since the AirPods had already left airport property, the airline would not investigate further. Instead, the traveler was told they would need to file a police report with the Houston Police Department – even though Jadewildaz lived in Arizona.
United then closed the claim.
Months later, the petty revenge began
Even though the case was closed, Jadewildaz kept checking the location of the AirPods.
Using Apple’s Find My network, they could sometimes see when the earbuds were out of their case and actively being used.
That’s when they started having a little fun.
Whenever the headphones appeared to be in use, they would trigger the “Play Sound” feature — blasting a loud Find My alert directly into the earbuds.
According to Jadewildaz, the AirPods would quickly go silent again as the wearer hurriedly put them back in the case.
The traveler joked that they were slowly working toward making the thief go deaf.
“I think this is the pettiest thing I’ve ever done,” they wrote.
The internet had plenty to say
The story quickly exploded online — and thousands of commenters had something to say.
Many commenters shared their own experiences with tracking lost devices.
One user described locating stolen AirPods by identifying the suspect through social media posts taken at the same location the headphones were pinging.
Another commenter tracked a missing phone to a nearby house and sent a message warning the person they were heading to the police station — after which the phone suddenly reappeared at lost and found.
Others shared stories showing that not all airport employees are dishonest, including one airport worker who found a lost iPhone and secured it safely in a manager’s desk until it could be returned.
Some users also offered advice
Several commenters suggested additional steps the traveler could take.
One recommendation was contacting United’s executive customer service team, which sometimes handles issues more aggressively than standard customer support.
Others suggested filing a complaint with the FAA if the airline refused to investigate a theft involving its employees.
Another commenter pointed out that Apple devices placed into Lost Mode can sometimes be locked, although the original poster said that feature didn’t seem to stop the AirPods from being used.
FAQ
Can stolen AirPods be tracked?
Yes. Apple’s Find My network can show the last known location of AirPods if they are connected to a nearby Apple device and the feature is enabled.
At this point, the original poster admitted they probably wouldn’t want the AirPods back anyway after months of someone else using them.
Still, their ongoing campaign of sonic revenge has clearly struck a chord with the internet — proving that sometimes, a little well-timed pettiness can be surprisingly satisfying.
And the best part? The thief probably has no idea why their AirPods keep screaming.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
