Toronto, June 18 (IANS): You might have acted smartly by linking your expensive smartphone with a tracking app, so that it can be tracked if lost or stolen. But using tracking services to go find your device is not always safe.

An 18-year-old boy was recently killed after he tracked down his smartphone with the help of a tracking app, geek.com reported.

He left his smartphone in a taxi while visiting London (in Ontario). He had linked it up to a tracking service and used an app to locate it.

Accompanied by a relative, he followed the app's directions to an address at the north end of London (Ontario) which turned out to be a parking lot.

When he arrived, Cook was met by three men in a car. He had a brief conversation with the occupants of the car before it drove off without Cook getting his phone back. So he clung on to the driver's door.

The occupants opened fire at Cook, who died on the spot. The car was later found by police after it had been involved in a collision and Cook's smartphone was still inside.

The three men who were in the car are now wanted in connection with Cook's death.

The police warned that though this is an extreme case but anyone using these apps to track lost or stolen goods should be prepared for an unexpected outcome or confrontation.

No device or good is worth getting injured or killed over, so just walk away in such situation if that happens.