For those who came in late, AirTags are typically used by Apple fanboys to look for missing gear or to stalk someone they found attractive in Starbucks.

Now, Washington D.C. will give this pricey Apple technology to car owners nationwide to allow coppers to track stolen cars.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said: "We have had success with similar programs where we make it easier for the community and MPD to work together -- from our Private Security Camera Incentive Program to the wheel lock distribution program -- and we will continue to use all the tools we have, and add new tools, to keep our city safe."

The AirTags will be available to residents in specific city areas that have recently seen the most significant increase in vehicle thefts.

To obtain the tags, residents must attend one of three scheduled distribution events next week, where officers will install the device on the resident's cars and help them set up the tracking tag on their mobile devices.

However, the tags are only for the rich, as the software only works on iPhones. So those who have made sensible choices for their phones and bought something more Androidish will not be involved in the programme and will have their cars stolen like everyone else.

This is a vast marketing boom for Apple, who can flog their expensive phones, saying, “Buy our iPhone, and the state will protect your more expensive car from being stolen.”

Of course, how many people would want to give the police the ability to track their car 24/7?