Anti-theft systems

All businesses are faced with theft and pilferage of goods, whether small and easily concealed products or larger, often expensive and desirable items. Nowadays, new technologies allow the protection of goods on the shelves in shops through increasingly advanced and secure systems.

Anti-theft systems are a safe and reliable solution to reduce product theft and the resulting financial damage. Choosing the right system for your business is very important. The various protection systems all apply the same principle: the alarm is triggered when an article with a label that has not been deactivated (or not removed) passes through one or more barriers, generally located at the exit of the shop or in the vicinity of the checkouts for large-scale distribution. The circuit is made possible by anti-shoplifting antennas, or anti-shoplifting barriers, which act both as receivers and transmitters when the still-active label passes through.

The choice between the various types of system is based mainly on the environment in which the antennas are to be installed, taking into account interference to both internal and external frequencies, the space available, the style and furnishings of the shop, and whether the system is to be visible or invisible. The type of products also determines which system to use: the size and nature of the articles defines whether to apply adhesive anti-shoplifting labels, or rigid labels, also known as tags or anti-shoplifting plates.

Promo Security offers anti-theft solutions for all types of businesses, from shopping centres, supermarkets, luxury goods, clothing, footwear, consumer electronics, DIY, pharmacies, opticians, large-scale retail trade, retail stores and all other commercial activities.

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The types of anti-theft systems differ in the technology used, but the basic functioning is the same. The antennas create the circuit according to certain frequencies which, if interrupted by the passage of the label, trigger the alarm.

Three technologies are in use:

• Radio frequency (RF) anti-shoplifting system
• Acousto-magnetic anti-theft system (AM)
• Electromagnetic anti-theft system (EM)

Each system has its own characteristics, some specific to the type of product and others adaptable to different business realities.

Radio Frequency (RF) Anti-theft System

Radio frequency technology for anti-shoplifting systems generates waves at a frequency of 8.2MHz, which are fed into the space in front of an anti-shoplifting antenna or between several barriers. When a tag, or plaque, gets close to the electromagnetic field, it interferes with the circuit, causing an alarm.

Radio frequency systems can be installed with a single anti-shoplifting antenna, with a dual system (two anti-shoplifting antennas) or with a split system, i.e. with several anti-shoplifting antennas placed side by side. The anti-shoplifting antennas or radio frequency anti-shoplifting barriers are always visible and can be made of different materials to better suit the style of the shop: Plexiglas, aluminium, customisable with advertising banners. The alarm signal is emitted with a sound and flashing light; some models can be equipped with remote control and people counter.

Promo Security installs RF anti-theft systems to suit every business, always offering innovative solutions in line with customer requirements.

Magnetic Acustic Anti-theft System (AM)

Acousto-magnetic anti-shoplifting systems have a larger detection area for the protection of goods and use a lower frequency, 58 Khz, than other types of systems.

Anti-theft systems with acousto-magnetic technology apply the physical phenomenon of magnetostriction, which consists in deforming a metallic material. In this case, two thin metal plates are inserted inside the labels or plates, which, when approached by the pulsed magnetic field produced by the anti-theft antennas of the system, are magnetised causing the displacement of the electrons and the change in size. The vibration of the flaps, caused by the compression and expansion typical of the phenomenon, causes the label to emit a signal that is detected by the anti-shoplifting antenna and triggers an alarm.

The AM system is very sophisticated and precise, and can recognise whether the signal emitted is the same as that from labels in the shop or from different shoplifting plates. In this way false alarms are limited. Promo Security offers two types of magnetic acousto-shoplifting systems in its range:

• Invisible systems: these systems are the result of the latest innovations in the field of technology that integrate perfectly with the environment without altering its design. They are used in all locations where you want to keep the style unaltered and therefore opt for discreet and hidden systems. The systems can be applied to the doors, where the receiving antennas are installed directly on the frames or inside the frame, or they can be composed of antennas installed under the floor so as to cover with the active field the entire entrance of the shop. Invisible systems are small in size, but their discretion does not affect the effectiveness of the system. These systems can be connected to the store's cloud via wireless technology, allowing effective and fast data control. The alarm is perceived with an acoustic signal.
• Antennas and visible anti-shoplifting barriers: the visible barriers with AM technology can be of different sizes, even very small depending on the architectural requirements of the location, and can consist of one antenna, two (dual) or more side by side (split). The panel can be open, closed, made of plexiglass and customisable with advertising banners. Various finishes are available, from neutral, such as white, black and metal, to coloured to better meet the customer's needs.

The alarm signal is emitted with sound and flashing light, some models can be equipped with remote control and people counter.

The anti-shoplifting systems with magnetic acoustics that Promo Security offers its customers are among the most innovative on the market. The company pays particular attention to the aesthetic and functional needs of its customers, guaranteeing the safety and protection of its products.

Electromagnetic (EM)

In contrast to radio frequency and magnetic acoustics, electromagnetic technology is used less and only for certain types of products such as books and publishing material. Its main feature is the possibility of activating and deactivating the tags infinitely, so these systems are mainly installed in bookshops, libraries and historical archives where items are often given to the user and then returned to be lent out again.

The specific anti-theft labels are adhesive, small in size and very thin. They contain a layer of metal that interacts with the magnetic field caused by the antennas and triggers the alarm.

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Anti-theft labels used in the RF system intercept the radio signal emitted by the anti-theft antennas, while labels using acousto-magnetic technology are affected by the magnetic field generated by the anti-theft barriers visible or hidden inside the entrance doors or on the floor.

Labels can be rigid or adhesive:

• Hard tags: also called plaques or tags, they can come in different shapes and sizes. They generally consist of a hard plastic casing that contains inside metal balls and signal generating elements, which are stressed by the emissions of the anti-shoplifting antennas, and a closing shell or nail. They are widely used in the clothing industry. Because of their shape, they have to be removed using special detachers.

• Detachers are the essential accessories for the removal of anti-shoplifting labels. They are placed at checkouts and are used by staff when a customer hands over a product to pay for it. The anti-shoplifting detacher works by means of a magnet that allows the tag to be detached from the nail or shell, in order to remove it from the item.

• Adhesive shoplifting labels: smaller, thinner and less visible, adhesive shoplifting labels are suitable for many different uses and types of goods such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, leather goods, clothing, books, electronic goods, food, etc. After the sale, the label does not need to be removed, but is rendered inactive by a deactivator.

• Anti-theft deactivators render adhesive labels ineffective simply by placing them on it, an acoustic signal confirms deactivation.

Promo Security designs and installs RF, AM and EM anti-theft systems, proposing and implementing the solution that best suits its customers' needs.

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Safeguarding merchandise in the shop is one of the prerogatives of every entrepreneur. Thanks to continuous technological innovation, anti-shoplifting systems have reached very high levels of precision and security and are increasingly reliable in minimising theft from shelves and avoiding financial losses.

There is no such thing as the best anti-theft system; there are many different solutions. To choose the most suitable system, it is advisable to rely on professionals. Promo Security , which has been in the security sector for more than thirty years, offers its customers its experience and professionalism to create cutting-edge projects using the best technologies on the market.

For more information or for a quote, call us or fill in the form at the bottom of the page and you will be contacted by one of our professionals, who will advise you on the best solution for your security.

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