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Catherine Gavino and her family are originally from the Miami area but had their sights set on spending Christmas in the Carolinas.
The family landed at Charlotte Douglas International Airport but their vacation was delayed when they were unable to locate one of their bags in baggage claim.
Gavino pulled up her phone to check the location of her newly purchased Apple AirTag, which she placed in her parents’ luggage after getting the idea from a YouTube video that morning. In fact, she said she had seen several influencers touting the practice.
But the luggage was indeed stolen, according to a Gastonia Police Department police report.
When Gavino pulled up her phone, the AirTag hidden inside her mother and father’s luggage showed it was on Interstate 85 and on its way west toward Gastonia.
Gavino not only found the house but saw the AirTag was still at the location. She contacted police, who arrived and notified the homeowners of the situation.
Inside, they found the family’s suitcase and the suitcase of another victim who had their luggage stolen from the airport.
Unfortunately for her family, there was not much left inside the suitcase.
The suspect in this case was arrested and charged with multiple theft crimes, including a drug charge. That person is being held on a $10,000 bond. It’s unclear how or when the suspect obtained the luggage.