Fired employee tracked via AirPods after allegedly stealing $100K in tools from Florida dealership

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FORT MYERS, Fla. - A Florida man was taken to jail after he allegedly stole $100,000 worth of tools from a dealership over the weekend.

Michael Hohner, 39, was arrested Tuesday on charges of larceny grand theft and burglary, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said a pair of Apple AirPods helped them locate him.

On Dec. 8, law enforcement responded to the Sutherland Nissan Auto Dealership in Fort Myers regarding a burglary. When they arrived, they discovered that multiple toolboxes and tools worth $100,000 had been stolen from employees.

Booking photo of Michael Hohner (Credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office)

Crime section detectives took over the investigation due to the large amount of theft. During their investigation, detectives were informed that one of the victims' AirPods, that was left inside one of the toolboxes, was pinging to a CubeSmart Storage facility in Cape Coral.

Investigators responded to CubeSmart and tracked the audible ping to a storage unit rented by Hohner. They also reviewed surveillance video that showed Hohner unloading the toolboxes into the facility, officials said.

Lee County deputies obtained surveillance video, which appeared to show Michael Hohner, unloading stolen property from the dealership into a storage unit. (Credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office)

Detectives learned Hohner was fired from the dealership and blamed the victims for being let go, authorities said.

After confirming his identity and the stolen property through surveillance video, detectives determined probable cause to arrest Hohner.

He was arrested at Audi of Fort Myers, his most recent employer, deputies said.

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