Instant notification of booster bag entry into store

July 8, 2013
Heightened awareness reduces retail theft and helps avoid violent confrontations

SAN DIEGO, CA -- July 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Alert Systems and Indyme Solutions announced today a technology integration that instantly notifies retail store personnel when a "booster bag" enters a store or high-value merchandise area. Thieves, often affiliated with Organized Retail Crime rings, increasingly use foil-lined booster bags to defeat anti-theft tag detection by Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems when exiting a store with unpaid merchandise.

Alert System's Alert MetalGuard detects booster bags (often disguised as a shopping bag, purse, or backpack) at entry doors or other locations. Indyme's Smart Response® messaging gateway instantly notifies store personnel of events requiring attention, typically via existing two-way radios, wireless telephones, and smart wireless devices. The integration of these systems provides instant and discreet awareness of booster bags entering the store, helping reduce retail shrink.

In addition to booster bag awareness, Alert HyperGuard and Smart Response notify store teams when a thief enters the store with a concealed magnetic device used to detach EAS tags from apparel and other items.

Instant awareness upon entry empowers Loss Prevention professionals to take early steps to minimize loss, increase apprehensions, and prevent violent confrontations increasingly likely to occur as an incident progresses. Additionally, Smart Response notifies video systems to facilitate real time remote observation of suspicious events and efficient post-incident analysis of these detections.

"This integration provides a practical and powerful Loss Prevention tool," explained Indyme CEO Joe Budano. "Through early awareness of incidents in the making, retailers are better equipped to proactively reduce shrink before it has the opportunity to happen."

"The communication flexibility offered by this combined solution delivers even more value to retailers fighting the shrink battle," commented Troels Falkenberg, CEO of Alert Systems. "Our passion is to empower retailers; instant awareness is key to achieving that goal."