If you think that AirDrop files cannot be traced, you better think again. A man on an American Airlines flight was removed by federal police and arrested after he sent a bomb threat to fellow passengers via AirDrop.
AirDrop is a feature on Apple gadgets that allows users to transfer and accept files wirelessly and without having to be on your contact list.
Keith Deimer, aged 35, was on board American Airlines flight AA 928 from Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW) to Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ) when he sent a message to passengers via AirDrop using his iPhone.
According to local reports, the message warned passengers that Deimer was going to blow up the plane, and that there was a bomb on the aircraft.
The flight made an emergency landing at ABQ airport where police boarded the plane and arrested Deimer.
The incident occurred in October 2022, however, footage from a body camera belonging to a police officer at the scene of the arrest was uploaded during the last week.
The footage was uploaded by Cops & Cons, a YouTube channel that provides up front and behind the scenes coverage of police work across the United States.
The 48-minute video starts with police officers at ABQ runway, talking and planning how to execute boarding the aircraft and arresting Deimer.
After boarding the aircraft, police can be heard telling passengers to put their hands over their heads. One of the officers started asking for Deimer to stand up and surrender himself. “We know you’re sitting in 17F,” the officer can be heard saying.
Soon after, Deimer stood up with his hands above his head. Police asked him to walk backwards towards them.
Deimer was escorted off the plane, handcuffed, and taken inside a police vehicle.
Passengers on the aircraft had to evacuate in order for police to inspect for explosive material.
Although none were found, Diemer was arrested on a charge involving false information and hoaxes. If convicted, Diemer faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the federal charges.