From Dubai to Jhelum: How lost AirPods led to cross-border recovery

ISLAMABAD: Jhelum police have successfully recovered a pair of AirPods belonging to British social media influencer Miles Routledge, better known as "Lord Miles," a year after they were lost in Dubai.

Routledge, who had inadvertently left his AirPods in a hotel in Dubai, had activated the "Lost Mode" feature on his iPhone, allowing him to continuously monitor and track their location. 

To his surprise, the signal revealed that the devices had been flown from Dubai all the way to Kala Gujran, a union council on the outskirts of Jhelum city in Pakistan. 

The AirPods occasionally pinged from the vicinity of a local restaurant, providing a crucial clue to their whereabouts.

With no direct contacts in Pakistan, Miles resorted to his extensive social media following, posting updates on the AirPods' location and directly tagging the Jhelum Police in his posts. 

The digital breadcrumbs eventually led to a real-world investigation.

Locating the individual using the AirPods proved to be a challenging task. However, District Police Officer (DPO) Jhelum, Tariq Aziz Sindhu, took charge, ordering his team to narrow down households in the area with connections to Dubai. 

Their diligent efforts paid off, identifying four men from the vicinity who worked in Dubai.

Further investigation revealed that one of these men was currently in Pakistan, visiting his family. The police summoned him for questioning regarding the AirPods. 

The individual admitted to possessing the devices but claimed he had purchased them from an Indian national in Dubai, unaware that they were a stolen asset. 

Satisfied with his explanation, the police successfully recovered the AirPods.

Then Miles was contacted to ask whether he would opt to receive them in person by travelling to Pakistan or would share a mailing address for the shipment.

He chose to visit and film the recovery, an intention he also expressed on his social media account.

"I'm going to get a police officer and storm the area, get back my AirPods and film it all. Don't like thieves," he tweeted, assuming the police had tracked the suspect and would stage a dramatic raid. 

Upon arrival, he learned the AirPods were already in custody, and he was instead invited to lunch at a restaurant.

In a televised statement, Miles praised the Jhelum Police, acknowledging their efforts. He remarked that the force had done what "Scotland Yard in London would not do for a British citizen like me."

He also clarified that the original thief was an Indian, not a Pakistani. 

Miles has since launched a campaign against Indians calling them thieves. In a post, he claimed the Indian who stole his AirPods has been arrested in Dubai on theft charges.