How to make a booster bag

Table of Contents Show

Booster bagging – new era of organised crime with tinfoil lined tools
Does aluminum foil stop alarms?
What is a booster bag shoplifting?
How to test booster bag?

How can a shoplifter avoid being detected by the EAS system?

There are several ways to “cheat” any Electronic Article Surveillance system (EAS). You can cut the pin or you can open it with an illegal detacher or a strong magnet in order to remove it.
Since both of these methods take time professional shoplifters nowadays have changed to all kinds of “booster bags.”, tinfoil lined bags, and clothes protecting against detection in the EAS-gate!

What is a booster bag?

A booster bag is not always a bag! It can also be any container.The foil shields the security tag from the EAS system, thus allowing stolen items to pass through the system without setting off the alarm.

Are foil-lined clothes also a problem?

A foil-lined coat is often used in wintertime and can be a very effective shield against detection in the EAS-system. In fact, some U.S. states are now passing legislation that makes it illegal to wear certain types of clothing while shopping, including aluminum underwear.

Are booster bags really a problem?

YES! Using a booster bag, the thief can steal a lot in just one visit. Within seconds 15 expensive shirts or 4-5 bottles of the finest perfumes easily disappear into the booster-bag! Understanding that one can easily work out the numbers and see that a Metalguard installation can bring ROI very quickly!.

How sensitive is the system?

The sensitivity can be adjusted according to the needs of the specific store. The weight of the metal object is not what is measured, rather it is the physical size. In other words, sensitivity can be adjusted so that mobile phones and other small metal objects will not trigger the system.

I've worked in retail now for a number of years. These "booster bags" are one of the first things you are trained to look for as a new employee. Since they are usually concealed inside of another bag, lining their inside to hide them, we look for larger sized bags that are empty as they enter the store.

If someone walks in with a larger sized bag from another retail store and it appears to be either empty or very light in weight... we keep an eye on them. General practice is to make it obvious you are keeping an eye on them. That way they are scared away from trying to steal anything. Otherwise, if they attempt to take stuff and make a dash for it... most retail companies now have a strict "no pursuit" policy. All I am allowed to do is yell after them while making sure NOT to actually accuse them of anything. So it can only go like this, "EXCUSE ME, SIR, CAN I PLEASE HELP YOU WITH THOSE ITEMS IN YOUR BAG!? CAN I RING THEM UP FOR YOU!?" This while they are speed walking or just straight out sprinting away.

It is all rather ridiculous and anyone other than 14 year old kids (since you can terrify them with a stern look) can easily get away with stealing whatever they want.

Booster bagging – new era of organised crime with tinfoil lined tools

Today shoplifting with tinfoil lined shopping-bags has no doubt become the single most costly kind of shoplifting – now known under the name Booster Bagging. But the bag is no longer an ordinary shopping bag. Experienced shoplifters nowadays rarely use paper bags for this purpose. The new trend is chaotic: every household item that is able to carry a product can be used as a booster bag – handbags, backpacks, pocket, or even a simple jacket carried in hand.

Such a shoplifting tool can be made in minutes and traditional loss prevention systems, such as AM or RF-based antennas are useless to fight this type of crime. When a shoplifter enters a store it only takes seconds to pack the goods into the tinfoil-lined container, and the crime is committed. Most booster-bags are so well made that they have to be cut up or passed through a metal detector in order to verify the presence of tinfoil.

Even the smartest bags from houses such as Prada and Louis Vuitton can be shielded nicely with tinfoil under the original lining so that the tinfoil is completely hidden.

When shoplifters cut off a security tag or open it with an illegal detacher the tag will be found somewhere in the shop. When a booster-bagger stuffs 10 expensive shirts or DVDs into their bag no traces are left – only empty hangers or shelves!

Therefore it is very difficult to know how big the problem really is.

After many years of experience we know that it is much much bigger than most retailers think. We have partnered up with the industry leader company, Alertsystems, to deliver world-class solutions to our customers. We offer two kinds of antennas to solve the new type of shoplifting: Metalguard and Hyperguard. The only difference is that Hyperguard comes with a built-in trolley filter, making it the best choice for hypermarkets and supermarkets.

Back to FAQ

Does aluminum foil stop alarms?

Will aluminum foil block security tags? Yes, aluminum foil will block security tags. Therefore, it is often used to block sensors from catching signals sent by anti-theft devices. The primary reason is that several layers of aluminum foil can block radio signals.

What is a booster bag shoplifting?

A booster bag is a handmade bag used to shoplift, typically from retail stores, libraries, and any other location employing security detectors to deter theft.

How to test booster bag?

The quickest and I think the best way to test them is to do what shoplifters do, grab a few of your tags, and see whether your security poles will pick them up. Try looking for weak spots that the labels close to the poles, put the labels very low or straight, etc.