How One Traveler Got Petty Revenge on an Airplane Cleaner Who Stole Their AirPods
Imagine this: you’re fresh off a flight, hustling through the Houston airport, when you realize your beloved AirPods have vanished. Panic sets in. You retrace your steps, submit a lost item claim, and activate Find My in hopes of a miracle. But this time, the plot thickens—it turns out your headphones have legs, and the thief is an airport employee. What would you do next?
For Redditor u/jadewildaz, this wasn’t just a hypothetical. Their story, shared on r/PettyRevenge, is a masterclass in persistence, tech-savvy sleuthing, and a touch of deliciously petty revenge. And as the comments prove, the saga of the stolen AirPods tapped into a wellspring of outrage, innovation, and darkly comic solidarity.
The Case of the Wandering AirPods
It started innocently enough: a lost item claim with United Airlines, complete with every detail—seat number, flight info, even a description of the distinctive silicone case. “I set it to lost mode and included my phone number to call me,” OP explained, showing the kind of meticulousness that makes you want to root for them.
But AirPods have a way of telling their own story. Thanks to Apple’s Find My feature, OP could see their headphones’ journey in real time. First, they moved from the plane to what appeared to be United office space. Then, after a day, to an apartment building—and back and forth from there to the airport. No, this wasn’t some lost-and-found shuffle; it was a pattern. “I now realize, it was probably employee lockers,” OP mused, Sherlock Holmes style.
They tracked the exact address and work schedule, providing United with all the evidence needed to nail the culprit. But here’s where things went off the rails: United Airlines shrugged, claiming they couldn’t act since the AirPods had left airport property. The case was closed, and OP was told to file a report with Houston PD… from their home state of Arizona.
Petty Times Call for Petty Measures
Most of us would give up. But not u/jadewildaz. Instead, they leaned into the one superpower Apple gives every AirPods owner: the ability to play a sound on the earbuds—no matter who’s wearing them.
Every time the thief popped the AirPods in, OP would hit “play sound,” sending a jarring screech directly into the ears of the unsuspecting user. “I am slowly working toward making them go deaf, so no one else loses a set of headphones to them,” OP quipped, in what might be the pettiest (and most satisfying) revenge on record.
Reddit loved it. “Apple needs to create a tone called ‘these missing items are in the possession of someone I don’t know’—really fucking loud,” joked u/auntwewe, echoing the wish of every wronged AirPods owner. Another commenter, u/nonymousbosch, went further: “It should just scream, ‘I’m a thief! I’m a thief!’ over and over.”
The comments section quickly turned into a brainstorming session for next-gen anti-theft features. Suggestions ranged from randomized bagpipe noises (“Too bad there isn’t a bagpipe setting,” lamented u/hissyfit64) to a “shut down” button or a voice message that plays, “Return my fucking earbuds.”
Inside the Wild World of Lost Tech (and Petty Justice)
But the saga didn’t just fuel revenge fantasies—it tapped into a universal experience. Countless commenters shared stories of tracking lost gadgets, confronting thieves, or pinging their devices at all hours until they were returned (or the thief’s patience snapped).
One top comment from u/why_now10 described tracking AirPods to a suspect’s home, then politely—and just a bit menacingly—messaging the thief to inform their employer. The AirPods arrived in the mail soon after. But not everyone was so bold; as u/CandylandCanada pointed out, it’s a bit unnerving when the thief ends up with your home address.
Some even took matters into their own hands. “My sister literally tracked her AirPods to the person’s house and went to the door and demanded them back, lol,” shared u/Roadgoddess. Meanwhile, u/Three-Legs-Again hilariously recounted being wrongly accused when someone’s “Find My” led an irate couple to their porch, only for the device to ping down the block moments later. “Another idiot who thinks the Find My gets you to within feet/inches... in fact, it’s yards and it could be someone else’s place,” noted u/Notmykl, highlighting the (sometimes) imprecise art of digital detective work.
And then there’s the dark side. “You would not believe how much theft at the airport is from the employees,” wrote u/Necessary_Baker_7458. Others told stories of airline staff and even police officers getting caught red-handed, thanks to persistent tracking and a lot of courage.
Wired vs. Wireless: A Generational Debate
Amid all this chaos, a sub-thread emerged: is it even worth having fancy wireless earbuds if they’re so easy to lose (and steal)? “People knock me for still having wired earbuds and call me a boomer,” said u/PoisonIvy2667, “but I still have my wired ones that came free 4 phones ago… and work perfectly.”
Plenty agreed, with u/Mcmacladdie chiming in, “I’d prefer wired earbuds… mainly because it’d be harder to lose, plus I wouldn’t need to worry about recharging them.”
The consensus? If you’re going wireless, keep a close eye. If you’re going wired, maybe you’re actually the smart one.
The Last Word: Petty, Persistent, and Proud
As for u/jadewildaz, they’re still hitting “play sound” whenever the mood strikes, relishing the tiny, ongoing victory. And Reddit has their back. “Keep at it! Fight for the rest of us who can’t,” encouraged u/night_noche, summing up the spirit of everyone who’s ever lost something valuable and dreamed of a little justice.
So, what would you do if someone stole your AirPods—and you could see exactly where they went? Join the conversation below: Would you go full petty, or would you let it go?
Your move, headphone thieves. The internet is watching.
Original Reddit Post: The airplane cleaner stole my AirPods.