Tracking devices are in demand from organized crime groups and known perpetrators of domestic violence, according to an Australian study.
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The main finding from Project Hakea – carried out by the Crime Commission in the Australian state of New South Wales and released yesterday – was that the top 100 buyers of tracking devices are twice as likely as other buyers to have been the subject of arrest warrants (AVOs) requiring them not to harass, intimidate or stalk a protected person and 2.4 times more likely to be known for serious and organized crime.
The study considered GPS trackers and consumer-grade Bluetooth trackers such as Apple AirTags, Samsung Smart Tags and Tiles. A total of 5,163 trackers were considered, purchased by 3,147 customers in 4,176 transactions. This data set was deemed too large to investigate every customer with a criminal history – but after analysis through an unspecified "comprehensive data matching process" led the commission to conclude:
It also led to the discovery of "three drug supply syndicates previously unknown to the police."
