A STALKER from Herefordshire put a tracker on his victim’s car and showed up at her house unannounced.

The victim’s car was being monitored by a device placed on her vehicle by Simon Baldwin.

Hereford Magistrates’ Court heard the device, an Apple Air Tag which can easily be bought online or in shops, was on her car between October 5, 2022, and April 4, 2023.

Baldwin, 50, of Rotherwas Close, Hereford, denied stalking the woman.

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Prosecutor Paul John told the court the Apple Air Tag enabled Baldwin to track his victim’s location, and he then turned up at her home address on April 2 and April 5 last year.

Baldwin was found guilty by magistrates at trial on April 15 and will be sentenced in May.

Hereford police have previously issued a warning about these trackers. Police Community Support Officer Christina Howard said:  "Unfortunately it seems that the Air Tags are now being used for criminal activity.

"Reports are starting to come in (mainly in the US) that the Air Tags are being used for stalking.

"This could be where someone puts an Air Tag in your car or in your handbag and that user would then be able to keep track of where you go.

"One positive on this is that Apple has had to install a security alert which means that if there is an unrecognized air tag near you, your iPhone will receive an alert to let you know."

Apple, the manufacturer of Air Tag, says on its website: "Air Tag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking. If someone else's Air Tag finds its way into your stuff, the network will notice it's travelling with you and send your iPhone an alert. If you still haven't found it after a while, the Air Tag will start playing a sound."