A $29 Apple AirTag hidden inside a $300,000 Lamborghini Urus is what let New Jersey police track the stolen SUV through three towns before it finally stopped near a highway exit, ending a chase that started with a 3:30 a.m. break-in at a custom auto shop. Police arrested one suspect, 21-year-old Munir Muhammad of Newark, on charges of receiving stolen property and resisting arrest following the April 20, 2026 pursuit, according to CBS News New York’s report.

The Urus belongs to Moe, owner of MoeModz, a custom auto body shop in Elmwood Park. Thieves broke into the shop overnight and drove off with the dark purple, California-registered SUV. Moe had tucked an AirTag inside the vehicle beforehand, a habit that turned into the only lead police needed once he reported the theft.

A chase that ran out of road

Officers used the AirTag’s location data to pick up the Urus and pursue it onto Route 17 in Paramus, then onto the Garden State Parkway, before the vehicle came off at the Hillside exit and stopped. Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno confirmed a chase ensued once officers located the vehicle, per CBS News New York. Muhammad was taken into custody at the scene; at least one other person believed to have been involved fled on foot and was not immediately apprehended.

The Urus didn’t escape unscathed. Investigators say the thieves drove the SUV for miles on a blown front tire before the pursuit ended, leaving Moe with at least $15,000 in damage even after getting the vehicle back. “It makes me feel violated in every way possible,” Moe told CBS News New York. Still, he said the outcome could have been far worse: “I took a little loss. But it’s a win overall having the car back.”

A cheap fix for an expensive problem

The case is a reminder of how far tracking technology has outpaced the cost of the vehicles it’s protecting. An AirTag retails for $29 and pairs with Apple’s Find My network, using the location data broadcast by nearby iPhones to help pinpoint a lost or stolen item’s location, often within minutes of a report. For Moe, tucking one into the Urus wasn’t a formal security measure so much as a habit — but it turned what could have been a total loss into a recovered vehicle and an arrest within hours. Police have not said whether additional charges are expected for the suspect who fled the scene.