Most new mobile devices come with apps that allow them to be tracked if they are lost or stolen but Winnipeg police said the GPS data is not good enough for the courts to generate a search warrant.
"They're going to want to be sure that when they're signing that warrant that they have absolute believe that the information provided by those officers is correct,” said Const. Eric Hofley.
With the help of information security professional Michael Legary, CTV Winnipeg tested the accuracy of the Find My iPhone app.
“It’s relatively accurate,” said Legary as he pulled up the web app on his computer while the iPhone sat on his desk.
But when the onscreen map displayed the location of the device, it was not in the right place.
"So, you are sitting right here,” said Legary. “And it thinks you're in the middle of Adelaide Street now. So you're about 50 metres off."
Hofley said in order to get obtain a search warrant, police would need much more accurate information.
"We like to think that these products and the GPS systems are accurate but as your demonstration proved, they're not completely infallible,” said Hofley.
