A Florida woman is sounding the alarm after she discovered a hidden Bluetooth tracking device on her car that was allegedly placed there by her boyfriend.
According to an exclusive story from WPEC, CBS News’ affiliate in West Palm Beach, the 22-year-old Port St. Lucie resident shared her story with the station after its report on the “hidden dangers of Apple AirTags and other Bluetooth tracking devices being used to stalk unsuspecting victims.”
Jeremiah Sauter, the woman’s 46-year-old boyfriend, was arrested on Oct. 10 and charged with illegally installing a tracking device and using a two-way communications device, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WPEC. He was released on bond the next day, WPEC reported.
In Florida, these charges are now felony offenses thanks to a bill signed into law in October 2024. Another law, which increased the penalties for such offenses, went into effect on Oct. 1.
The woman told WPEC that she wanted to share her story to empower others and warn them about how easily everyday technology can be turned into a “tool for control.”
“The last person I would think is someone I’m in love with, that I planned a future with,” she said. “That would be the last person I would’ve thought of.”
A lover turned into a stalker
The woman told WPEC that she was in a “great relationship” with Sauter before the discovery was made.
“We definitely loved each other,” she said.
The woman and Sauter had been dating for over a year until late last month, when she found a device similar to an AirTag hidden under the hood of her SUV.
“My trust and my safety have definitely been broken,” she told WPEC. “I got a notification on my phone that a tracking device had been following me. My heart dropped and I was scared.”
The woman immediately called police and filed a report on Sept. 18. At the time, she didn’t suspect Sauter to be the culprit until her suspicions grew later that day: Her boyfriend had been allegedly tracking her every move, WPEC reported.
“He was a jealous person, always asking what I was doing or where I was going,” she said.
According to WPEC, the woman confronted Sauter, saying that she found tracking data on his phone that showed the last location she visited before discovering the device. However, her boyfriend brushed off the allegations.
“He tried to deny it and act like he had no idea what was on his cell phone,” she told WPEC.
According to the arrest affidavit, detectives eventually searched Sauter’s phone and home before arresting him.
