Activating security alarm at retail stores while carrying

[KD5NRH]

Lately, I have been setting off the security alarm when entering or exiting various retail stores in San antonio. Specifically, academy sports, Home Depot, lowes, Dillard's, wal-mart and Macy's. I'm confident it's my carry weapon that causes the alarm to activate since it does not happen when I leave my weapon in the car. Is this happening to others?

Try microwaving yourself for 30 seconds. That should burn out any RFID tags.

[ralewis]

I've had that happen to me before, but it always ended up being a tag I forgot to remove/have the store remove.

Off-topic, but when I read the thread title, I thought it was going to be what to do if the alarm went off and the store loss prevention personnel wanted to search you while you were carrying.

I thought about this a few years ago actually when an alarm went off at Home Depot I think. They forgot to deactivate one of the anti theft devices when I bought a power tool of some sort. I don't think it's in anyones best interest for us to disclose to a clerk or loss prevention person that we're carrying. My standing plan if faced with this is to refuse a search (searching a bag ok, but i'm not emptying pockets or anything) and request they call Law Enforcement.

[cw3van]

You must have something else going on. Once after shooting at Reds, so as not to leave any guns in my car, I went into the Cabela's in Buda with 5 full size handguns on my person and didn't set off any alarms. I've never set off an alarm anywhere no matter what gun I was carrying. The detectors at these stores are not metal detectors --they send an RF signal to RFID tags, and go off when a signal is reflected in response.

Exactly what I was going to say these alarms have nothing to do with medal.

[EEllis]

You must have something else going on. Once after shooting at Reds, so as not to leave any guns in my car, I went into the Cabela's in Buda with 5 full size handguns on my person and didn't set off any alarms. I've never set off an alarm anywhere no matter what gun I was carrying. The detectors at these stores are not metal detectors --they send an RF signal to RFID tags, and go off when a signal is reflected in response.

It's the chip the govt has been inserting in people setting off the alarms

[Jaguar]

I don't even slow down for these anymore. I once had to purchase a pair of slip joint pliers at a wally world late at night and after waiting for 30 minutes for a seemingly competent cashier, I finally managed to head to the door only to have the tag not deactivated. I was frustrated, tired, had a plumbing job ahead of me (I hate plumbing jobs) but they somehow managed to call me back, "sir, sir, we have to check your bag." and I didn't even get a bag. After looking at the receipt I just got from the cashier, by the same cashier, looking at the pliers she just handed me, and finally running it over the deactivator again, I was able to be on my way after another 5 minutes of incompetent bumbling. Sheesh.

So now, unless someone chases me down outside the store I will just keep walking. I know I didn't steal anything, they have no reason to even ask because A) I do not steal, and B) 95% of the time it's a false alarm because they didn't deactivate the tag. Just yesterday I walked out of a CVS with a bottle of Zyrtec that didn't get deactivated when she tried. I did hear the beep at the door, but no one had a chance to say a word to me as I kept walking. If they want to accuse me of stealing they better have a reasons other than incompetent cashiers.

[Dragonfighter]

OP, just a thought- Maybe find a good powerful magnet and run it over all of the parts separately. If there is some odd residual magnetic signature, this might "degaus" it. Might make it worse.

[rotor]

I have an S&W bodyguard 380 with laser and go to the same type of stores and have never set one off. I also carry several rfid card and have never set one off. I just don't believe it's your firearm. But test it again, go with another person and strip your gun down and pass each part through individually in a paper bag and see if anything kicks it off. These machines are designed to pick up the anti theft chips imbedded in the items that the store sells and are usually deactivated at the sales counter. Let us know what happens.

[Coxjajb]

Mystery solved. My wallet had two inventory control tags inside. I've had That wallet for three or four months and never noticed them before. Geez, I feel like an idiot.

[patterson]

Mystery solved. My wallet had two inventory control tags inside. I've had That wallet for three or four months and never noticed them before. Geez, I feel like an idiot.

could happen to anybody

[KD5NRH]

I still want to get a roll of those tags and wander through stores dropping them in people's bags. I had a friend who found a couple hundred in the trash at a company that sold them, and would leave them sticky side up on the scooters, or put them on odd items like under the first layer of husk on corn.

[C-dub]

Mystery solved. My wallet had two inventory control tags inside. I've had That wallet for three or four months and never noticed them before. Geez, I feel like an idiot.

could happen to anybody

I'm sure we're all glad you solved the mystery.

[Keith B]

Mystery solved. My wallet had two inventory control tags inside. I've had That wallet for three or four months and never noticed them before. Geez, I feel like an idiot.

Glad you figured it out.

I have a theory of why when you went through without your gun it didn't trigger. It is possible that the metal of the gun and the position on your body caused it to act like an antenna and help the signal get to the RFID tags better, which in turn caused it to trigger the alarm. Without the extra metal, the tags may have not gotten as good a signal and not triggered the alarm.

You can read about RFID and how it works here http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ga ... s/rfid.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[j3x]

My Luminox wristwatch sets them off at some stores, was told by a security guard while in Vegas that it was the Tritium in the dial and hands, could be night sites on a weapon causing same thing?

[Keith B]

My Luminox wristwatch sets them off at some stores, was told by a security guard while in Vegas that it was the Tritium in the dial and hands, could be night sites on a weapon causing same thing?

Nope. OP figured it out. See his post above.

[Jumping Frog]

... was told by a security guard ...that it was the Tritium in the dial and hands

Are you going to believe a security guard?