Google Maps wears many hats. While mere civilians use the app for navigation, location information, or, errstalking people, cops tap theappto findcriminals.
You may be surprised to learn that law enforcement officials in the USroutinely mine Google’s location datain criminal investigations.
The tactic has sparked fears ofprivacy violationsandfalse arrests, but it’s also led to a range of arrests. Here are five of the criminals caught on Google Maps.
1. A convicted kidnapper
A 2017 kidnapping and sexual assault case was solved when police used ageofence warrantto obtain location data from Google.
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The victim had seen her assailant pull up Google Maps on his Samsung phone. The police used this information to order Google to search for devices that had been used in scenes linked to the crime,NBC News reports.
This led them to a suspect, who was later convicted ofall seven charges related to the attack. The offender was sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.
2. A mafia hitman
A mafia member had his life on the lam curtailed after policespotted the fugitive on Google Maps.
The convicted murderer had left a trail of digital footprints, from a Google entry for his greengrocer’s to a Facebook photo of his Italian restaurant. The 61-year-old was arrested in Spain almost 20 years after escaping from prison in Rome.
3. A pair of muggers
In 2009, twin brothers mugged a 14-year-old boy in the Netherlands. Six months later, the victim was surfing through Street View when he spotted his assailants.
“The picture was taken just a moment before the crime,” a police spokesmansaid.
After Google unblurred the photo at the police’s request, the perpetrators were arrested. One of them later confessed to the crime.
4. A trio of heroin dealers
Three alleged drug dealers were arrested in 2017 after they were captured hawking heroin by Google Street View cameras.
The suspects were among seven people arrested in an NYPD undercover sting operation,the New York Post reports.
5. A suspected thief
Street View also captured a suspected caravan thief who police believe was about to flee with a $16,300 (£12,000) tourer when the mapping car drove past.
The man was spotted on Google Maps by the 11 year-old-son of the vehicle’s owner. British police laterarrested the suspectafter Google agreed to supply unblurred images of him.
Crime and punishment
These arrests suggest Google Maps can be a valuable crimefighting tool — but they also show the app’s potential as asurveillancedragnet.
If you want to avoid Google’s all-seeing eye, you can turn off your location history by followingthis guide.
Apologies in advance for any future crimes that’s abetted — and a sincere “you’re welcome” forany that it’s prevented.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.
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