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A Cuban resident in Miami-Dade was arrested this Wednesday for allegedly having placed an Apple AirTag tracking device in his ex-girlfriend's car, authorities reported.
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office (MDSO) arrested Andrés Ignacio Perea, 25 years old, on the charge of installing a tracking device without consent, and he also faces a charge of property damage from a prior incident, according to prison records.
The arrest report, cited by the local press, states that on the night of October 12, police officers responded to the 10300 block of Southwest 119th Street after the victim reported that Perea had vandalized her car.
According to the statement from the victim's mother, approximately two weeks before the vandalism incident, her daughter received a notification on her mobile phone indicating that an Apple AirTag was nearby.
Both examined the vehicle and found the device hidden in the fender, and later discovered that it belonged to Perea.
The victim provided the police with a photo of the AirTag notification, which displayed the last four digits of the owner's cell phone number, matching those of Perea's phone. Authorities later confirmed that the device was registered in the name of the accused.
The woman, who had been in a relationship with Perea for at least eight years before they separated, obtained a five-year restraining order against him due to another legal case, according to the Miami-Dade Police report.
Perea turned himself in this Wednesday at the Kendall District station of the MDSO and was detained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The judge set bail at $5,000.
The use of tracking devices or applications in someone else's vehicle without their consent is classified as a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 934.425, effective October 1, 2024.
The sentence for this charge can reach up to five years in prison, marking a significant change in the legislation, as this action was previously considered a misdemeanor.
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