Anti-theft markings: everything you need to know

Posted on October 24 2023

Reading time: 4 minutes

Many companies use anti-theft labels to prevent theft and protect assets. These tags are attached to objects to alert security personnel or staff to an attempted theft. What other advantages do anti-theft tags offer? And how do they work?

Anti theft marking what to know

Anti-theft markings: everything you need to know

If you’re a business owner, you know how important it is to keep your inventory safe. The last thing you want is for an employee to accidentally lose or steal one of your possessions. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this from happening, and one of them is to use anti-theft markings.

Anti-theft tags are a common security measure used in many businesses to deter theft and protect assets. These small tags are attached to items and are designed to alert security personnel or staff when a theft attempt occurs. So what are the other benefits of anti-theft tags? And how do they work?

Advantages of anti-theft labels

1. Eliminating incentives to steal and the sale of stolen goods

Anti-theft markings can be an effective tool for eliminating the incentive to steal and reducing the possibility of selling stolen items. They are easy to install and can help deter would-be thieves, as they know that the chances of successfully stealing a tagged item are considerably reduced.

As well as acting as a deterrent, anti-theft labels can also make it more difficult to sell stolen items. It’s certain that the tag will be detected and the item will not be accepted by the buyer. Some anti-theft tags, such as those from CompuGuard, are designed to withstand a tearing force of up to 400 kg, leaving the thief no choice but to give up.

2. Minimize the financial impact of theft

Anti-theft marking can help minimize the financial impact of theft on a business in a number of ways. Firstly, by deterring theft, anti-theft marking can reduce the total number of stolen items in inventory. This can help minimize the direct financial losses associated with theft, such as the cost of replacing stolen items.

In addition, anti-theft markings can also help reduce indirect costs, such as the time and resources required to investigate and report theft.

By making it more difficult for thieves to resell stolen goods, and easier for law enforcement agencies to recover them, anti-theft markings can be a cost-effective way of protecting inventory and improving corporate security.

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3. Improve inventory management and tracking

Anti-theft tags can improve inventory tracking and management by providing a unique identification code or symbol for each item. This identification code can be used to quickly locate and identify specific items in inventory, making them easier to track and manage.

For example, if a company uses a computerized inventory management system, the identification code can be entered into the system to quickly retrieve information on the item, such as its location, quantity and status.

This can help improve the efficiency and accuracy of inventory management, as staff can quickly and easily access the information they need to make informed inventory decisions. In addition, the use of anti-theft tags can help prevent inventory errors and discrepancies, as the identification code can be used to accurately track the movement of items around the company. All in all, anti-theft tags can be a valuable tool for improving inventory tracking and management.

How do these anti-theft markings work?

Anti-theft markings are designed to be virtually impossible to remove without destroying the item. One way of achieving this is through the use of a red chemical fingerprint, which is applied to the item using a special marker or label.

In addition, these anti-theft markings can include an indelible message such as “stolen equipment”, which can further reduce the resale value of stolen goods by warning potential buyers that the item is traceable and that its possession may be illegal.

Anti-theft markings also include a unique identification number which is stored in a database. In North America and Europe, this database is known as I3RS (International Internet Identification and Recovery Service).

If someone tries to sell a stolen item that has been marked with this identification number, the buyer can consult the I3RS database to check. If the item is listed as stolen, the buyer can report the theft to the authorities.

Hector at your company’s service

Hector is an easy-to-use inventory management software with a barcode / QR code scanner thanks to its mobile application. Hector is partnered with Compuguard, a company offering anti-theft solutions for computers, laptops and mobile devices, to provide maximum security for our customers and ensure that all items in their inventory are well secured.