Article surveillance

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An article surveillance is a measure whose purpose is the theft of goods either to prevent or to make the goods to the thief unusable.

Mechanical article surveillance

The oldest type of article surveillance is simply tying up or locking in. Today wire ropes are mostly used for tying . The so-called Kensington lock is a widespread variant that is used both in salesrooms and by private individuals. Some devices, for example laptops , have a special eyelet for securing with such a device. Especially for high-quality, but small goods such as jewelry or electronics, transparent, oversized packaging is also used to prevent it from being put in a pocket . As a free service, the goods are often repackaged in more manageable packaging at the checkout. Another common form is the presentation in a locked display case from which the goods are fetched by the seller. Cell phones, navigation devices or small MP3 players are now often secured against theft with leash locks . Here the object is z. B. secured by a USB plug, with unauthorized removal of the cable an alarm is triggered. Among other things, this supports open access to the property and encourages the desire to buy, as the property in question can be tested despite the safety line.

Electronic article surveillance or electronic article surveillance (EAS)

Currently, electromagnetic (EM), radio frequency (RF) and acousto-magnetic (AM) systems must be separated from one another. A distinction must be made between the technologies according to the characteristics of reliability, security, passage widths and detection rates (pic rate). Whereby EM systems secure the smallest passage widths, RF systems protect passage widths of up to 230 cm and AM systems even of up to 400 cm passage widths between two antennas. The passage width depends on the labels used. The conventional standard solution is to install the systems in the check-in or check-out area to deter potential shoplifters and to show honest customers that theft will not be tolerated. However, more and more retailers and architects are placing particular emphasis on antenna systems that can be installed discreetly or invisibly (e.g. integration in the floor or in / on the door portal). In this way, the free, inviting entrance is retained, the deterrence is carried out via signs and visibly attached labels.

The non-deactivated article security label is recognized by antennas at the exit after the cash register and an alarm is triggered as soon as such goods pass the area. The designs of the labels vary from stickers (adhesive labels) to plastic housings (hard labels, permanent labels). Usually there are transceiver devices (antennas) in the exit area, which the article surveillance system stimulates to vibrate by a certain frequency. In RF systems this is often 8.2 MHz, in AM systems 58 kHz.

There are two strategies for attaching electronic article surveillance: The most common is a clearly visible attachment of a label that can only be removed with a special tool. The advantage lies in the psychological effect, as the customer perceives the goods as secure and casual thieves are deterred. Another variant is the hidden attachment on or in the goods. The fuse is not removed after purchase, but deactivated. The advantage is that a thief must know where to find the fuse if he wants to remove it.

The future probably lies in source tagging, so that a security label is integrated into the goods during manufacture / assembly (e.g. in the heel of shoes, sew-in label in the suit, in the shaft of the drill, under the label of the beverage bottle, etc.) . Source tagging is already being used successfully by several retailers (shoe sector, etc.), but it is not yet as widespread in Germany as it is in Spain or France.

For this, the incorporated label must be able to be activated, deactivated and reactivated again. In this way, the goods can be "made" active or inactive again and again according to their destination.

RFID stands for "Radio Frequency Identification" and in German means something like radio identification. The system offers the possibility of reading and saving data - without touching it or having visual contact with it - in other words, an "intelligent barcode". However, RFID can only be associated with article surveillance if it works on one of the three mentioned article surveillance frequencies or if a "combination label" can be used that reacts to both the frequency of the article surveillance system and the RFID system. However, article surveillance should also work in adverse circumstances. If the information on the RFID chip on the pallet / goods delivered has not been transferred to the PC, the process can be successfully repeated by reading it in again. A shoplifter is unlikely to make the way back because there was no detection / activation in the system. Therefore, separating goods security (theft prevention) and RFID (logistics tool) may not be a disadvantage.

Chemical article surveillance

Chemical article surveillance does not prevent theft, but makes the goods unusable if unauthorized removal or serves as proof of ownership at a later date. For this purpose z. B. a chemical in a fragile container attached to the goods, so that it breaks if the fuse is improperly removed and the contents affect the goods. Paints that are difficult to wash off are mostly used, rarely also substances that spread odor or artificial DNA in the course of DNA property marking . The dealer assumes that thieves do not have the necessary tools or the skills and knowledge to remove the fuse. Because of this, this type of security is not effective against professional thieves.

The so-called thief trap represents a similar approach .

Combinations

Some companies also use combinations of the methods described. Some electronic article surveillance systems are chemically protected against being removed from the goods. Furthermore, widespread is the binding with a voltage leading wire, to an alarm system is connected. What all combinations have in common is that overcoming one fuse triggers another fuse.