what exactly is it that sets sensors off.

[blaksun]

two items that have me wondering are books and cds.
i've seen those weird paper electronic-looking sticker things in new books, but i've gone to a bookstore, flipped through a copy of whatever, and haven't found it. so wtf?

and wtf about cds? is it that lumpy strip thing stuck to the outside, under the plastic?

or is it just the barcode, and they scan it through their magical machines to deactivate it or whatever.

[Esophagus]

CDs its the lumpy strip thing. Its magnetized. Books sometimes have the same things. Plus I know some bookstores actually have magnetized books. You run it over a little pad and it magnetizes it to sensitize it. Run it over the pad again to de-sensitize it. How does it work? I wish I had a clue.

[Stone]

Those stickers that have barcodes on them are usually RFID tags (look up wikipedia). The barcode isn't even a real barcode, it's just a trick so you think the sticker is a barcode when it's really a security device. They are quite expensive, around 50 cent each, so cheap products won't have them because it reduces their profit margin.

[Esophagus]

I found a baggy of them at wal-mart. I stuck one onto a guys back, and on his leg. He got caught walking out the door, discovered the one on his back, and took it off. He walked out and beeped again. He wasnt impressed. I enjoyed it though. Might I add that he was a friend, and wasnt shoplifting. Im not an asshole.

[odin_dax]

Why shoplift CD's when you can download them for free?

Anyway, most items DON'T have any sort of security device. Major paperbacks like "Les Miserables" and Shakespeare (ie the classics) wouldn't have an RFID tags. In fact, anything in a non-hard bound if don't have the tags, or they're simply placed inside somewhere you can see it and pull it out. It's about the size of 1in by 1in.

[blaksun]

Those stickers that have barcodes on them are usually RFID tags (look up wikipedia). The barcode isn't even a real barcode, it's just a trick so you think the sticker is a barcode when it's really a security device. They are quite expensive, around 50 cent each, so cheap products won't have them because it reduces their profit margin.

thanks for the wikipedia article. wikipedia never fails!

are these the only security measures high-class stores use? when 10,000 days came out, i didn't have enough money, so i went to a store, grabbed a copy, and browsed whilst peeling that lumpy thing off. when i finally had it off, i almost had a nervous breakdown trying to motivate myself to walk out the door, and in the end i am prty ashamed to say i couldn't do it.
most of my stealings have involved going out the in door, so, you know, this shit fucks with me.

[Scamula]

thanks for the wikipedia article. wikipedia never fails!

are these the only security measures high-class stores use? when 10,000 days came out, i didn't have enough money, so i went to a store, grabbed a copy, and browsed whilst peeling that lumpy thing off. when i finally had it off, i almost had a nervous breakdown trying to motivate myself to walk out the door, and in the end i am prty ashamed to say i couldn't do it.
most of my stealings have involved going out the in door, so, you know, this shit fucks with me.

I know it can be frightening. Every store is different. Why don't you just take the stuff you're trying to "obtain" to the dressing room. There you can check for whatever you need to check for and trash the trash and just put the dvd or cd in your purse or pocket and cruise out with no one being the wiser.

[blaksun]

I know it can be frightening. Every store is different. Why don't you just take the stuff you're trying to "obtain" to the dressing room. There you can check for whatever you need to check for and trash the trash and just put the dvd or cd in your purse or pocket and cruise out with no one being the wiser.

a lot of the stores i rax shit from don't have dressing rooms, etc.

actually, one time, i decided to do that at a book store down the way. this place was a fucking goldmine: i was in there browsing the magazines near the exits/cashiers, when i saw this dude just walk out the In door. there were turnstiles, but there was also one of those gates for people in wheelchairs.

nobody noticed him or said anything, so i immedietly grabbed a copy of v for vendetta (i couldn't really think of anything else, i was too excited), and walked out with it in my motherfucking hand.

i went there another time, more prepared with a backpack, and grabbed like $150 of graphic novels and books. that isn't as much as you'd think, cuz graphic novels are pretty damn expensive.
i put them all in this plastic bag i had on hand, then went into a washroom and put the bag in my backpack. but i didn't notice the mother fucking camera watching the washroom.

i walked out and got caught. they let me off with a warning because i am a good actor, but whenever i think about it, it pisses me off that i ruined such a good local by not paying attn.

that is what we in the business call a tangent.

but anyway, i was talking about stealing from like hmv and indigo, two stores i am pretty sure do not exist outside of canada. and they have cameras on the bathrooms, i'm sure.

[Stone]

HMV are actually British. They have stores all over the world.

[Esophagus]

I think shoplifting from HMV should just be avoided at all costs. They tag things, and actually USE the security cameras. If you really want to it can be done, but its always kind of risky. Mind you the local HMV is just a small store in the mall. If yours is anything like the two floor ones (or just generally big) then I guess it may be a little easier to find someplace to hide & stash.

[Scamula]

i went there another time, more prepared with a backpack, and grabbed like $150 of graphic novels and books. that isn't as much as you'd think, cuz graphic novels are pretty damn expensive.
i put them all in this plastic bag i had on hand, then went into a washroom and put the bag in my backpack. but i didn't notice the mother fucking camera watching the washroom.

i walked out and got caught. they let me off with a warning because i am a good actor, but whenever i think about it, it pisses me off that i ruined such a good local by not paying attn.

that is what we in the business call a tangent.



Diggity damn! Getting caught is never pleasant but with $150 worth of merchandise you were very lucky that they didn't call the po po!

Oh and those two stores you mentioned....I never heard of them and I live in the us.

[theMaxx]

wow. I haven't done a n00b double post in a long time. That's what I get for checking into a new forum.

[theMaxx]

I'm in the states- we got HMVs. I've had bad experiences with them. I got stopped for shoplifting three times at three HMVs - the funny thing is, I wasn't shoplifting any of those three times. I stay the hell away from them.

On-topic: I believe many a good number of books, especially in libraries, have magnetic strips in the binding. When looking at the top side of a book with such a strip, you can usually spot the strips in the gap between the inside of the pages and the binding. They're a lot harder to get off.