AirTag on stolen motorcycle in Missouri leads to two arrests

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (KTVI) - An Apple AirTag on a motorcycle stolen in St. Charles, Missouri, helped police track down two suspects in the Metro East earlier this week.

The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has charged David A. Hallstead, 37, and Shaun A. Phillips, 32, each with one felony count of stealing a motor vehicle in connection with the case.

Hallstead and Phillips are accused of stealing a motorcycle early Tuesday morning from a St. Charles apartment complex.

According to probable cause statements obtained by Nexstar's FOX 2, the duo arrived at the complex in a blue Hyundai Santa Fe vehicle and targeted a 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R motorcycle. Hallstead allegedly uncovered the motorcycle, damaged the ignition and used a screwdriver to ultimately start and steal it.

Investigators say Hallstead first drove the motorcycle to Alton, Illinois, while Phillips followed in the Hyundai. Hallstead reportedly noticed an AirTag, then discarded it in the 1600 block of Annex Drive.

Later on, investigators reviewed surveillance video that captured the suspects arriving at the apartment complex in the Hyundai, which helped authorities identify the Hyundai's license plate. Using the video and AirTag data, police eventually tracked Hallstead and Phillips to Wood River, Illinois.

Wood River police then spotted the stolen motorcycle, still bearing its Missouri license plate, and arrested both suspects.

Hallstead and Phillips were each booked into jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond and ordered not to have contact with each other, the motorcycle's owner or the targeted St. Charles apartment complex.