Revealed: How stalkers are weaponising Airtags and GPS trackers to harass their victims

Charities say cyber stalking has been on the rise since Covid, but a surge in crimes in the years since shows it’s a problem that’s only getting worse NewsUKCrimeRevealed: How stalkers are weaponising Airtags and GPS trackers to harass their victimsCharities say cyber stalking has been on the rise since Covid, but a surge in crimes in the years since shows it’s a problem that’s only getting worseHolly Evans Sunday 22 February 2026 17:05 GMTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoveropen image in galleryCharities and support groups have warned that hidden surveillance devices and spyware has been on the rise since the Covid-19 pandemic (Getty/iStock)For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy noticeApple AirTags and GPS tracking devices are being weaponised by stalkers, fuelling a “disturbing” surge in cases and leaving victims in fear for their lives. Abusers have been using the coin-sized devices, which can be bought for as little as £35, along with apps designed for parental control, to track ex-partners at their workplaces and keep tabs on their location. Some survivors have been forced to flee their homes and change jobs to avoid detection, while others have been placed in safe houses.Campaigners warn that the issue has skyrocketed since the Covid pandemic and say some police don’t take victims’ concerns seriously enough. They are also seeing an increasing number of victims sectioned because of a collapse in their mental health.open image in galleryAn Apple AirTag, which is only around 3cm wide and just 11g (Alex Lee)It comes as freedom of information data from police forces in England and Wales, obtained by The Independent, found there had been a shocking 896 per cent increase in the number of stalking reports involving AirTags and GPS trackers, with the cases rising from 57 in 2018 to 568 by the end of 2024. In coercive control cases, this number had risen from 38 to 431 during the same time period – a 1,034 per cent increase. But the true figure is likely to be far higher, as only 18 of 44 forces responded to the request for information, with charities warning that survivors face a “postcode lottery” on responses from frontline officers. Nicola’s torment began 18 months ago after she left an abusive, short-lived relationship. Within weeks, it became apparent that her ex-partner knew her every movement, and began appearing outside her workplace, at gigs, in pubs and parked nearby when Nicola left her home to take exercise. I’m constantly on alert, I sit with my back to the wall, I’ve changed my routines, and I’m scared of going outNicoleDespite applying for a non-molestation court order to prevent her abuser from contacting her, and making 35 reports to the police, Nicola – whose name has been changed to protect her identity – claims the police have failed to take her concerns seriously. She said this led her to attempt to take her own life three times and self-harm a further three times since the stalking escalated in October 2024. The offending was only uncovered during a trip to a mobile phone repair shop, when spyware programme, Mspy, which is designed for parental control, was found on her device. That meant her ex-partner had access to all her apps, GPS location and messages.She said: “It’s absolutely horrendous. I’m constantly on alert, I sit with my back to the wall, I’ve changed my routines, and I’m scared of going out. “I’ve never been so scared in my life – I’ve changed phones, jobs and I’ll contact venues in advance to let them know I’ve been stalked so that I can sit with a security guard.” Emma Pickering, head of tech and economic abuse at the domestic abuse charity Refuge, said tracking and hidden surveillance had been on the rise “for a really long time” because there are “more options available” as technology has developed. She said: “It is disturbing. A lot of new cars have GPS-enabled systems that can be tracked through an app, you can hide Apple AirTags in clothing, Find my iPhone, ring doorbell cameras – one of the biggest challenges is that we don’t know what will develop next.”open image in galleryNicola* realised that her ex always knew her location and would appear at her workplace, at gigs and while she was out exercising (Getty/iStock)The charity first noticed an increase in the number of perpetrators downloading stalkerware to spy on their victims during the Covid lockdown. “We thought it would peak but it never really went away. We’re busier than ever – there are no cases that we deal with where there isn’t an element of tech-based abuse,” she said.Apple has implemented safety features such as alerts when an unknown AirTag has been tracking a person. But some victims have found devices hidden in their vehicles, in the pockets of their coats, and in some cases, slipped into their children’s backpacks by ex-partners. Asked if technology companies were doing eno