World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
AirTag helps police recover stolen historic stones in Lancashire
Parish councillor Matt Smith hid an Apple AirTag in a loose stone to find who was taking stones from a wall in Lancashire.
About 30 coping stones had disappeared from the wall between Holmeswood and Rufford, which is believed to date to around 1730.
The tracker led police to Craig Barker’s home in Wigan, where officers recovered a substantial quantity of stonework.
Barker admitted theft and handling stolen goods offences and received a suspended 12-month prison sentence at Wigan Magistrates’ Court.
The recovered stones, valued at up to £7,000, were returned and reinstalled in the wall with help from contractors and farmers.
Smith said the stones’ return was his main aim; he also said other possibly stolen stonework found at Barker’s property could be worth as much as £40,000.
A parish councillor used an Apple AirTag to help police recover historic stones stolen from a wall in Lancashire.
About 30 coping stones, valued at up to £7,000, had disappeared from the wall between Holmeswood and Rufford.
Matt Smith hid a tracker in a loose stone after police said there were no CCTV leads or forensic opportunities.
The tracker led police to Craig Barker’s home in Wigan, where they recovered a large quantity of stonework.
Barker admitted theft and handling stolen goods offences and received a suspended 12-month prison sentence.
- Who
- Parish councillor Matt Smith used an AirTag to help police identify Craig Barker, who admitted theft and handling stolen goods offences.
- What
- Police recovered a large quantity of stolen historic stonework after the tracker led them to Barker’s home.
- When
- The stones began disappearing in May 2025, with further raids in June and October. Barker was sentenced in October 2026, according to the article.
- Where
- The wall is between Holmeswood and Rufford in Lancashire. Police traced the tracker to Barker’s home in Wigan.
- Why
- Smith wanted to identify the person stealing the stones and get them returned to the community.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Residents first noticed stones disappearing from the wall.
Further raids took place, according to the article.
Smith woke to phone alerts showing that the AirTag had moved overnight, and police traced its signal.
Barker received a suspended 12-month prison sentence after admitting theft and handling stolen goods offences.
- Stones missing
- About 30 coping stones
- Stone value
- Up to £7,000
- Wall location
- Between Holmeswood and Rufford, Lancashire
- Tracker
- Apple AirTag hidden in a loose stone
- Recovery location
- Craig Barker’s home in Wigan
- Sentence
- Suspended 12-month prison sentence
What people are saying
The audacity of him to steal from the community for his own personal gain. That's not what we stand for.
But getting the stones returned to where they belong was the main aim.
It was a great feeling to know we had found the man responsible for causing the community so much pain.