Novi candidate for mayor tracks his stolen campaign sign with Apple AirTag

NOVI, Mich. (FOX 2) - A well-placed Apple AirTag helped a Metro Detroit candidate track down a stolen political sign.

Justin Fischer, a candidate for mayor Novi, recently got his political signs returned to him at the police department Tuesday.

"It’s really disappointing that this is where we’re at in the political environment," he said.

Fischer says he had no clue who might steal his signs, but he had an idea to track their whereabouts with an AirTag as a precaution.

"We had gone and placed it inside the sign, once we noticed a couple were missing," he said.

The AirTag was placed in the sign on property of Suppers in the area, 10 Mile and Beck Road, on a Sunday.  

By Monday- the sign was stolen and a police report was made.

FOX 2:  "When you look at the AirTag where your sign was, was at the same place in which the police recovered your sign?"

"Yes," he said.

The AirTags traced Justin’s signs to the home of Diane Smith.

FOX 2: So the AirTags worked?"

"It did what I needed it to do," he said.

Diane Smith didn’t want to talk to FOX 2 when we went to her front door - and it looks like she had Justin’s opponent, Aaron Martinez’s sign on her lawn.

Then we went to Aaron Martinez's residence, but a sign on the door said their baby was finally asleep - so we took the high road.

FOX 2 did get a statement from Diane Smith, who says:

"I did remove improperly placed political signs within my subdivision that were located on private property," she said. "I was unaware that as a homeowner in this subdivision, and a member of the HOA, that I was not authorized to do so.

"When contacted by the police, I gave them the signs and offered to pay any damages. I hold no position on any campaign team."

FOX 2: "Do you want anything from this person who allegedly stole your signs?"

"Nothing from them personally," Fischer said. "I want everyone to take the high road for the rest of the election.  We've got seven weeks left, let’s just stop this nonsense and run a good election."

FOX 2: "What about your damaged signs?"

"We’ve got plenty more," he said. "And (we're) happy to put them out."