Find My misfire leads to SWAT raid on grandmother

A Denver detective is being sued after he led a SWAT raid on an elderly woman's home after Find My falsely pinged her home as a location of a stolen iPhone.

On January 3, 2022, a truck was stolen from a Denver Hyatt hotel. According to the owner, it contained six firearms, two drones, $4,000 in cash, and an iPhone 11.

The following day, Denver detective Gary Staab interviewed the owner of the stolen goods. Staab was told that Apple's Find My app had pinged a residential address twice the day before.

Stabb then drafted an affidavit to search that resident's home.

The resident of the address in question was 77-year-old Ruby Johnson. During the raid, Johnson was placed in a police car as offers used a battering ram to destroy her garage door and door frame.

They also destroyed property in her home, including her collectible dolls, as they searched her home for the stolen items. None of the stolen property was found in the house.

Johnson is suing Staab over the search itself, and the destruction. The suit alleges that Staab's affidavit violated Johnson's right, afforded by the state constitution, to "be free of unreasonable searches and seizures," according to NBC News.

The complaint alleges that Staab failed to corroborate the location independently. Apple's Find My app is designed to determine approximate locations and should not be used as a law enforcement tool.

The complaint also states that neither Staab nor the police department apologized for the raid. The police department also refuses to pay for repairs from the search.

Following the suit's filing, the Denver Police Department and the Department of Public Safety issued a statement saying that they "sincerely apologize to Ms. Johnson for any negative impacts this situation may have had on her."

Following the raid, Johnson left her home for her son's home in Texas, because she did not want to stay in her home. She has since returned to Denver but is afraid to answer the door.

A comprehensive breakdown of the situation, as well as the affidavit footage of the raid, can be viewed on 9News

16 Comments

jdw 1442 comments · 18 Years

About 1 year ago

AppleInsider said:

...location of a stolen iPhone.

A SWAT raid on a home for "a" (in the singular) iPhone? That sounds like a rather enormous waste of tax dollars to me. I would say that even if the number was 9 iPhones. Maybe if it was 50 or 100, then I can understand a SWAT raid. But for one?

In addition to that SWAT raid tax dollar waste, you then have the waste of having to pay to compensate the lady for all the broken items, including collectable dolls, some of which may not be so easy to replace. And now you also have a lawsuit filed as well.

The police issue an apology (but refuse to pay for repairs) and expect that to end that particular case so they can then move on to the next SWAT raid, which could also be a mistake.

All the while, this poor lady is left with financial loss and with fear about what may next come through her door.

All over a SINGLE iPhone.

Madness. Utter madness.

macmaverickk 11 comments · 3 Years

About 1 year ago

jdw said:

AppleInsider said:

...location of a stolen iPhone.

A SWAT raid on a home for "a" (in the singular) iPhone? That sounds like a rather enormous waste of tax dollars to me. I would say that even if the number was 9 iPhones. Maybe if it was 50 or 100, then I can understand a SWAT raid. But for one?

In addition to that SWAT raid tax dollar waste, you then have the waste of having to pay to compensate the lady for all the broken items, including collectable dolls, some of which may not be so easy to replace. And now you also have a lawsuit filed as well.

The police issue an apology (but refuse to pay for repairs) and expect that to end that particular case so they can then move on to the next SWAT raid, which could also be a mistake.

All the while, this poor lady is left with financial loss and with fear about what may next come through her door.

All over a SINGLE iPhone.

Madness. Utter madness.
Not all over a single iPhone… stolen vehicle, 6 firearms, a drone and $6k on cash

davidw 2112 comments · 17 Years

About 1 year ago

jdw said:

AppleInsider said:

...location of a stolen iPhone.

A SWAT raid on a home for "a" (in the singular) iPhone? That sounds like a rather enormous waste of tax dollars to me. I would say that even if the number was 9 iPhones. Maybe if it was 50 or 100, then I can understand a SWAT raid. But for one?

In addition to that SWAT raid tax dollar waste, you then have the waste of having to pay to compensate the lady for all the broken items, including collectable dolls, some of which may not be so easy to replace. And now you also have a lawsuit filed as well.

The police issue an apology (but refuse to pay for repairs) and expect that to end that particular case so they can then move on to the next SWAT raid, which could also be a mistake.

All the while, this poor lady is left with financial loss and with fear about what may next come through her door.

All over a SINGLE iPhone.

Madness. Utter madness.

I'm pretty sure the police was more concern about the 6 firearms, that were stolen along with the iPhone and not just the iPhone. Or did you miss reading this part of the article ...

"On January 3, 2022, a truck was stolen from a Denver Hyatt hotel. According to the owner, it contained six firearms, two drones, $4,000 in cash, and an iPhone 11."

zoetmb 2655 comments · 17 Years

About 1 year ago

macmaverickk said:

jdw said:

AppleInsider said:

...location of a stolen iPhone.

A SWAT raid on a home for "a" (in the singular) iPhone? That sounds like a rather enormous waste of tax dollars to me. I would say that even if the number was 9 iPhones. Maybe if it was 50 or 100, then I can understand a SWAT raid. But for one?

In addition to that SWAT raid tax dollar waste, you then have the waste of having to pay to compensate the lady for all the broken items, including collectable dolls, some of which may not be so easy to replace. And now you also have a lawsuit filed as well.

The police issue an apology (but refuse to pay for repairs) and expect that to end that particular case so they can then move on to the next SWAT raid, which could also be a mistake.

All the while, this poor lady is left with financial loss and with fear about what may next come through her door.

All over a SINGLE iPhone.

Madness. Utter madness.

Not all over a single iPhone… stolen vehicle, 6 firearms, a drone and $6k on cash

Was the stolen vehicle found on the property? Nope.
Why did the police have to break in? Why couldn't they walk up to the door and investigate? Or announce over a loudspeaker from the outside that the person inside must come out. Then enter the home and re-ping the phone.

Because they're a bunch off macho, unprofessional shits and it's so much more fun to break things.

I hope she wins her case big time.