'Disturbing' rise in stalkers using tech to harass victims

Abusers weaponising tracking devices that can cost just £35

- HOLLY EVANS

Apple 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.

It comes as freedom of information data from police forces in England and Wales, obtained by The Independent, found there has 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.