Woman Tracks Stolen AirPods to Airline Worker’s Home

A woman’s AirPods were stolen from a United Airlines flight. When she eventually tracked them down, she was surprised to find them at an airport worker’s home.

According to ABC 7 Chicago, Alisabeth Hayden was traveling home from Guam to Seattle after visiting her husband who serves in the military.

Hayden tucked her AirPods inside her jacket, but when she deplaned in San Francisco for the final leg of her trip, she realized she had left her jacket on the previous flight.

She alerted an airline employee for United, who retrieved the jacket. However, while on board her final flight, when Hayden reached into her jacket pocket to retrieve her AirPods, they were missing.

Opening the Find My app on her phone, she began to track down her AirPods. She took screenshots as she watched them travel to different terminals in the airport, then onto a highway and, finally, to what looked like a home address.

Once she landed, Hayden contacted United Airlines, as well as the police to file a report.

After waiting for an update with little communication from the airline or the police, Hayden took matters into her own hands and enlisted the help of a detective.

The detective was able to connect the address listed in the Find My app with an airport contractor who was hired to load food onto planes at the San Francisco International Airport.

Hayden’s AirPods were returned 12 days later. However, when they arrived, they were severely damaged.

ABC 7 Chicago reports United Airlines has agreed to refund Hayden $271 for the AirPods, as well as deposit 5,000 additional air miles toward her account to help rectify the situation.

As for the airport contractor, they are now under investigation by the San Francisco Airport Police Department.