Tips for security guards

Booster-bag thieves are difficult to catch simple because they look so normal. But based on our interviews with seasoned security personnel in Europe and North America, here are some tips we'd like to share.

Booster bags are heavy
The more layers of aluminum foil, the better the protection, and the heavier the bag. In fact, most well-made booster bags have over 30 layers of foil, which will “outsmart” even the most sophisticated EM system. Hence, these bags can weigh a kilogram (2.2lb) or more. If you stop a suspicious person and a bag weighs considerably more than you expect it to, you need to examine the bag more carefully.

Booster bags look normal
You won't spot tinfoil sticking out of the corners – it's been carefully hidden. In fact, thieves often nest two bags inside each other, separated by the foil and carefully glued together at the edges. If you suspect that you've found a booster bag, but cannot see that anything is unusual, try folding a corner of the bag. Aluminum foil has what is termed “low memory” and will thus retain the fold. Ordinary cloth, vinyl, and plastic will spring back to their original form. If a paper bag seems too thick, it too may have been “boosterized.”

Note: contrary to popular belief, freezer bags are never used by shoplifters. They are too thin and despite the "silver-look," they are often made of imitation tinfoil (plastic), so they can't function as booser bags.

Clothing may look normal, too!
Roomy jackets can also be lined with foil – and thieves have even been known to wear aluminum underwear. In fact, the U.S. State of Colorado is now considering legislation that would make it illegal to wear aluminum clothing while shopping, with fines of up to $5000!

What to do if you receive a page from your MetalGuard detector
With an Alert MetalGuard pager, you'll get a signal each time someone enters or leaves the store with a metal shopping cart or baby carriage. However, you may also receive a signal if someone comes in: