Electronic article surveillance
Electronic article surveillance (EAS) is a technological method for preventing shoplifting from retail stores, pilferage of books from libraries or removal of properties from office buildings. Special tags are fixed to merchandise or books. These tags are removed or deactivated by the clerks when the item is properly bought or checked out. At the exits of the store, a detection system sounds an alarm or otherwise alerts the staff when it senses active tags. Some stores also have detection systems at the entrance to the bathrooms that sound an alarm if someone tries to take unpaid merchandise with them into the bathroom. Some stores with EAS have keypads by the detection systems with monitors that beep showing the response time on the screen when the alarm sounds to ensure that employees respond to the alarm. The keypad keeps beeping until an employee responds to it. For high-value goods that are to be manipulated by the patrons, wired alarm clips may be used instead of tags.
Types
There are several major types of electronic article surveillance systems:
- Magnetic, also known as magneto-harmonic
- Acousto-magnetic, also known as magnetostrictive
- Radio frequency
- Microwave
- Video surveillance systems (to some extent)
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