How do anti-theft gate jammers work?

Given the difficulty of detecting shop lifting by sight alone or with a surveillance system consisting of cameras, many store managers have installed anti-theft gates. But in the age of 2.0, the techniques used by criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and anti-theft gate jammers are now on sale to bypass them. How do they work, and what solutions are there to combat them? We'll cover it below.

The anti-theft gate scramblers in question

To understand how anti-theft gantry jammers work, let's first look at how the gantries themselves work, before examining the techniques used by thieves.

How anti-theft gantries work

First of all, it's important to know that anti-theft gates don't work on their own. They are coupled with labels or badges attached to products in the stores. Several technologies are available:

• AM: Acousto-Magnetic. The tags have strips or circuits that resonate at a certain frequency. When passing between two gantries on the same frequency without having been deactivated, the strips or circuits vibrate, triggering the alarm.
• RF: Radio Frequency. Radio waves are transmitted between a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna. When an anti-theft device is between these two antennae, the alarm sounds. This system has a shorter range than the acousto-magnetic anti-theft system.
• EM: Electro-Magnetic. A magnetic wire is attached to the tag. What are the advantages? It can be installed on aluminium products (a material that is usually disruptive) and on small objects. What's more, it can be detected over a long distance.
• RFID: Radio Frequency Identification. The tags are similar to those used for radio frequency identification, but have an electronic chip that can read information.

How jammers work on anti-theft gantries

In order to steal items from a store equipped with anti-theft gates, some people buy devices capable of rendering the gates ineffective. These are small boxes made up of printed circuits, batteries and a switch. What do they do? They emit a strong signal on the frequency, which prevents other signals from being detected: they jam them.

Unfortunately for store managers, these boxes can easily be found on online sales sites, and even in some physical stores. Some ill-intentioned people acquire them after a quick search on the web and use them to bypass store security.

Differences from other anti-door thief methods

But what is the difference between these anti-theft gate jammers and the other well-known methods used by thieves, such as the aluminium lining in bags (booster bags) and badge decoupling magnets?

In the first case, signals are blocked by the aluminium placed between the tag and the gate. In the second case, the powerful magnets deactivate the anti-theft systems. Whatever the case, if you don't want to pay the price, it's in your interest to find suitable solutions.

Combating anti-theft gate jammers

Let's take a look at the different types of anti-theft devices available to you to combat shoplifting.

Gantries with the right technology

After becoming aware of the new techniques used by thieves, manufacturers developed improvements to their gates.

For example, you can now get gantries with built-in anti-jamming devices. Most of the time, a detector in the gate detects anti-theft gate jammers as soon as the customer approaches the gates, giving you plenty of scope to check before the person has even had time to steal anything.

Some also offer tools to combat the other methods used by malicious individuals, such as metal detection, which recognises aluminium linings in bags, and magnet detection on entering the stores. The most secure solution, of course, is to choose an all-in-one package.

Combining different systems to prevent and combat theft

To improve the effectiveness of the above technologies, you can combine them with other systems, in particular video surveillance for stores. At Veesion, we have developed an AI-based solution that takes advantage of the possibilities offered by new technologies to help you combat shrinkage.

Firstly, it deters would-be thieves. Secondly, you or your security guards can detect a theft in progress or carry out checks if the anti-theft device beeps or if there is any doubt.