Anti-theft system

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Anti-theft systems protect valuables such as vehicles and personal property like wallets, phones, and jewelry. [1] [2] [3] They are also used in retail settings to protect merchandise in the form of security tags and labels. [4] Anti-theft systems include devices such as locks and keys, RFID tags, and GPS locators.

Contents

Anti-theft

Green glass bottle with RFID chip Lagavulin distillery-3192.jpg
Green glass bottle with RFID chip Lagavulin distillery-3170.jpg
RFID tag concealed beneath the label of a whisky bottle

Under normal circumstances, theft is prevented simply through the application, and social acceptance, of property law. [5] Ownership can be marked using technologies such as vehicle license plates, name tags or RFID.

When clear owner identification is not possible, and when there is a lack of social observance, people may be inclined to take possession of items to their own benefit at the expense of the original owner. Motive and opportunity are two enabling factors for theft. Given that motives for theft are varied and complex, and are, generally speaking, not within the control of the victim, most methods of theft prevention rely on reducing opportunities for theft.

Motives for actively preventing theft

Items may require an anti-theft system for a variety of reasons, which may occur in combination depending on the type of item and its purpose:

Use of theft prevention

Equally varied are the methods developed for theft prevention. Anti-theft systems have evolved to counter new theft techniques as they have appeared in society. The choice for a particular anti-theft system is dependent on the following factors:

Financial cost

In addition to the initial obtainable cost of an item, the cost of replacement or recovery from theft of the item is usually considered when considering the cost of installing an anti-theft system. This cost estimation usually determines the maximum cost of the anti-theft system and the need to secure it. Expensive items will generally be secured with a higher cost anti-theft system, while low-cost items will generally be secured at a lower cost. Insurance companies will often mandate a minimum type of anti-theft system as part of the conditions for insurance.

Threshold for theft

Anti-theft systems are designed to raise the difficulty of theft to an infeasible (but not necessarily impossible) level. The kind of system implemented often depends on the acceptable threshold for theft. For example, keeping money in an inside shirt pocket increases the difficulty of theft above that necessary if the pocket were on a backpack, since unauthorized access is made sufficiently more difficult. Methods of theft evolve to decrease the difficulty of theft, increased by newer anti-theft systems. Because of evolution on both sides and the social aspect of theft, the threshold for theft is very dynamic and heavily dependent on the environment. Doors in quiet suburban neighborhoods are often left unlocked, as the perceived thresholds for theft are very high.

Ease of use

Security is often compromised through the lax application of theft-prevention practices and human nature in general. The average anti-theft device does not require any additional effort while using the secured item, without reducing the level of security. In practice, users of security systems may intentionally reduce the effectiveness of an anti-theft system to increase its usability (see also: Password). For example, a home security system will usually be enabled and disabled with an easy-to-remember code such as "1111" or "1234", instead of a more secure combination.

Methods of theft prevention

There are a number of general categories of anti-theft systems:

Sequestering of valuable items

A very common method of preventing theft is the placement of valuables in a safe location. The definition of safe depends on the minimum threshold for theft as determined by the owner. Desk stationery is often considered to be secured if placed in an unlocked drawer away from view, while expensive jewelry might be placed in a safe behind a picture in a home.

Raising the awareness of theft

Another common method is the alerting of other individuals to the act of theft. This is commonly seen in department stores, where security systems at exits alert store employees of the removal of unpaid items. Older car alarms also fall into this category; newer systems also prevent the car from starting or raise an SOS alarm if ever the tracking device is detached from the car or valuable asset. The revolution of mobile applications and wireless communication make possible to get notified by your phone, when your properties are stolen. Probably the first solution of mobile application based theft detection is BluCop, which was published in December 2010.

Preventing removal of items

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A steering wheel lock in a car

Valuable items may be attached to a larger immobile object, usually furniture or walls. Large vehicles may also be locked in such a way to prevent their being operated.

Disabling the stolen item

Items with specific functionality can often be disabled to prevent use of the item should it be stolen. The anti-theft system can require disabling on every use, or enabling when the item should be secured. Disabling the anti-theft system is usually done by requiring identification of the owner at some stage of use. Identification can occur physically or through other methods (physical keys, numerical codes, complex passwords, biometric identification). This can work even retrospectively—‌given that a stolen credit card can easily be invalidated with a phone call to the issuing bank, the motivation to steal one is reduced.

In the case of vehicle theft, the best deterrent to theft is in the installation of an approved vehicle anti-theft passive immobilizer. Many vehicles have factory-installed anti-theft units, which provide protection through the ignition system. Under the hood there is a computer that controls the operation of the engine. It is programmed to verify that the RFID tag attached to the key is correct before the engine control module will allow ignition to occur. An approved immobilizer uses a three circuit isolation system which can thwart even an experienced thief.

Security tags

Anti-theft tag on a laptop in a store Laptop with anti-theft alarm tag in store 20180625.jpg
Anti-theft tag on a laptop in a store

Security tags are devices that are attached to products to prevent shoplifting and are often used in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system. SelectaDNA or Smartwater are such security tags - a forensic fluid which contains millions of tiny fragments which have a unique number called "SIN" ("SelectaDNA identification number"), and registered in a national police database together with the owner's details, is etched into each of those particles.

Tracking software

Electronic devices such as laptops, cell phones and even gadgets such as iPods now have software that enable them to "phone home" with information regarding their whereabouts and other information that can assist law enforcement in tracking down the devices.

Forensic marking

Assets can be marked with various forensic marking materials for law enforcement tracking of the item. Examples of this type of marking include SelectaDNA and Smartwater.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telemetry</span> Data and measurements transferred from a remote location to receiving equipment for monitoring

Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots tele, 'far off', and metron, 'measure'. Systems that need external instructions and data to operate require the counterpart of telemetry: telecommand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Authentication</span> Act of proving an assertion

Authentication is the act of proving an assertion, such as the identity of a computer system user. In contrast with identification, the act of indicating a person or thing's identity, authentication is the process of verifying that identity. It might involve validating personal identity documents, verifying the authenticity of a website with a digital certificate, determining the age of an artifact by carbon dating, or ensuring that a product or document is not counterfeit.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder called a tag, a radio receiver, and a transmitter. When triggered by an electromagnetic interrogation pulse from a nearby RFID reader device, the tag transmits digital data, usually an identifying inventory number, back to the reader. This number can be used to track inventory goods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor vehicle theft</span> Theft of vehicles

Motor vehicle theft or car theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoplifting</span> Theft of goods from a retail establishment

Shoplifting is the theft of goods from a retail establishment during business hours. The terms shoplifting and shoplifter are not usually defined in law, and generally fall under larceny. In the retail industry, the word shrinkage is used to refer to merchandise often lost by shoplifting. The term five-finger discount is an euphemism for shoplifting, humorously referencing stolen items taken "at no cost" with the five fingers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keychain</span> Device for carrying several keys together, functional or decorative

A keychain is a small ring or chain of metal to which several keys, or fobs can be attached. The terms keyring & keychain are often used interchangeably to mean both the individual ring, or a combined unit of a ring and fob.

Floating car data (FCD) in traffic engineering and management is typically timestamped geo-localization and speed data directly collected by moving vehicles, in contrast to traditional traffic data collected at a fixed location by a stationary device or observer. In a physical interpretation context, FCD provides a Lagrangian description of the vehicle movements whereas stationary devices provide an Eulerian description. The participating vehicle acts itself consequently as a moving sensor using an onboard GPS receiver or cellular phone. The most common and widespread use of FCD is to determine the traffic speed on the road network. Based on these data, traffic congestion can be identified, travel times can be calculated, and traffic reports can be rapidly generated. In contrast to stationary devices such as traffic cameras, number plate recognition systems, and induction loops embedded in the roadway, no additional hardware on the road network is necessary.

Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) refers to the methods of automatically identifying objects, collecting data about them, and entering them directly into computer systems, without human involvement. Technologies typically considered as part of AIDC include QR codes, bar codes, radio frequency identification (RFID), biometrics, magnetic stripes, optical character recognition (OCR), smart cards, and voice recognition. AIDC is also commonly referred to as "Automatic Identification", "Auto-ID" and "Automatic Data Capture".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic article surveillance</span> Shoplifting prevention mechanism

Electronic article surveillance (EAS) is a type of system used to prevent shoplifting from retail stores, pilferage of books from libraries, or unwanted removal of properties from office buildings. EAS systems typically consist of two components: EAS antennas and EAS tags or labels. EAS tags are attached to merchandise; these tags can only be removed or deactivated by employees when the item is properly purchased or checked out. If merchandise bearing an active tag passes by an antenna installed at an entrance/exit, an alarm sounds alerting staff that merchandise is leaving the store unauthorized. Some stores also have antennas at entrances to restrooms to deter shoppers from taking unpaid-for merchandise into the restroom where they could remove the tags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gasoline theft</span> When gasoline is stolen from a gas station, pipeline or vehicle

Gasoline theft occurs when gasoline is stolen from a gas station, pipeline or vehicle.

Mutual authentication or two-way authentication refers to two parties authenticating each other at the same time in an authentication protocol. It is a default mode of authentication in some protocols and optional in others (TLS).

Fixed assets management is an accounting process that seeks to track fixed assets for the purposes of financial accounting, preventive maintenance, and theft deterrence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracking system</span> Technological system for locating moving persons or objects

A tracking system, also known as a locating system, is used for the observing of persons or objects on the move and supplying a timely ordered sequence of location data for further processing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immobiliser</span> Motor vehicle anti-theft device

An immobiliser or immobilizer is an electronic security device fitted to a motor vehicle that prevents the engine from being started unless the correct key is present. This prevents the vehicle from being "hot wired" after entry has been achieved and thus reduces motor vehicle theft. Research shows that the uniform application of immobilisers reduced the rate of car theft by 40%.

Fuel-management systems are used to maintain, control and monitor fuel consumption and stock in any type of industry that uses transport, including rail, road, water and air, as a means of business. Fuel-management systems are designed to effectively measure and manage the use of fuel within the transportation and construction industries. They are typically used for fleets of vehicles, including railway vehicles and aircraft, as well as any vehicle that requires fuel to operate. They employ various methods and technologies to monitor and track fuel inventories, fuel purchases and fuel dispensed. This information can be then stored in computerized systems and reports generated with data to inform management practices. Online fuel management is provided through the use of web portals to provide detailed fueling data, usually vis a vis the back end of an automated fuel-management system. This enables consumption control, cost analysis and tax accounting for fuel purchases.

Wireless identity theft, also known as contactless identity theft or RFID identity theft, is a form of identity theft described as "the act of compromising an individual’s personal identifying information using wireless mechanics." Numerous articles have been written about wireless identity theft and broadcast television has produced several investigations of this phenomenon. According to Marc Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, wireless identity theft is a serious issue as the contactless (wireless) card design is inherently flawed, increasing the vulnerability to attacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Construction equipment theft</span> Criminal act of stealing construction equipment

Construction equipment theft, is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal construction equipment, including all type of heavy equipments. Construction equipment theft has been recognized as a significant problem in the United States and elsewhere in the world, including Canada, Australia, Europe, and Japan.

A vehicle tracking system combines the use of automatic vehicle location in individual vehicles with software that collects these fleet data for a comprehensive picture of vehicle locations. Modern vehicle tracking systems commonly use GPS or GLONASS technology for locating the vehicle, but other types of automatic vehicle location technology can also be used. Vehicle information can be viewed on electronic maps via the Internet or specialized software. Urban public transit authorities are an increasingly common user of vehicle tracking systems, particularly in large cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SelectaDNA</span> Security device that marks perpetrators or property with a traceable DNA stain

SelectaDNA is a forensic property marking system used as part of crime prevention strategies for businesses and residential properties.

ISO/IEC 20248Automatic Identification and Data Capture Techniques – Data Structures – Digital Signature Meta Structure is an international standard specification under development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 2. This development is an extension of SANS 1368, which is the current published specification. ISO/IEC 20248 and SANS 1368 are equivalent standard specifications. SANS 1368 is a South African national standard developed by the South African Bureau of Standards.

References

  1. ↑ Edsall, Nicole (September 9, 2019). "The best anti-theft devices if your alarm isn't enough". Digital Trends.
  2. ↑ "Do Anti-Theft Bags Work? Prevention Is Better Than Nothing". DigiTravelist. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  3. ↑ Das, Debashis; Banerjee, Sourav; Ghosh, Uttam; Biswas, Utpal; Bashir, Ali Kashif (2021-02-25). "A decentralized vehicle anti-theft system using Blockchain and smart contracts". Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications. 14 (5): 2775–2788. doi:10.1007/s12083-021-01097-3. ISSN   1936-6442. S2CID   233962665.
  4. ↑ "How do security tags and labels work | Retail Security | SecurityTags.com". Security Tags. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  5. ↑ "Property law". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
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