{{Short description|Shoplifter's tool}} thumb|Aluminium foil bag used for shoplifting A '''booster bag''' is a handmade bag used to shoplift, typically from retail stores, libraries, and any other location employing electronic security detectors to deter theft.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ross |first=Jeffrey Ian |title=Encyclopedia of Street Crime in America |year=2013 |publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=978-1412999571 |page=377 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8hHFZx_tUhcC&dq=%22Booster+bag%22&pg=PA377}}</ref> The booster bag can be an ordinary shopping bag, backpack, pocketed garment, or other inconspicuous container whose inside is lined with a special conductive material, typically multiple layers of aluminium foil.<ref>{{cite book|last=Toobin |first=Jeffrey |authorlink=Jeffrey Toobin |title=The Best American Crime Reporting 2009 |year=2009 |publisher=Ecco |isbn=978-0061959219 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bestamericancrim00jeff/page/278 278] |url=https://archive.org/details/bestamericancrim00jeff |url-access=registration|quote=Booster bag.}}</ref>
An item is placed inside the booster bag (effectively a Faraday cage). This provides electromagnetic shielding, with the result that electronic security tags inside the bag may not be detected by security coils in the detector antennas at the store exit.<ref name="BMB">{{cite book|last=Prabhakar|first=Hitha|title=Black Market Billions|year=2011|publisher=FT Press|isbn=978-0132180245|pages=107, 250|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DlfoGviNKSAC&dq=%22Booster+bag%22&pg=PA107}}</ref>
Booster bags have been used by professional shoplifters for several years.{{Since when|date=June 2025}} Once a bag has been successfully tested,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.possolutions.com.au/blog/shoplifting-booster-bags |title=Shoplifting - booster bags |website=www.possolutions.com.au}}</ref> a shoplifter can steal dozens of items with very little effort.<ref>{{cite book|last=Segrave|first=Kerry|title=Shoplifting: A Social History |year=2001 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=0786450789 |page=[https://archive.org/details/shoplifting00kerr/page/6 6]|url=https://archive.org/details/shoplifting00kerr|url-access=registration|quote=Booster bag.}}</ref> However, as electronic article systems improve, shoplifters are turning to high efficiency tag removal devices.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Weinberg |first=MIchael |title=Careers in Crime An Applicant's Guide |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC |year=2009 |isbn=978-0740788956 |page=207}}</ref>
The name "booster bag" comes from "boost" in the slang sense of "to shoplift".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boost |title=Definition of BOOST |website=www.merriam-webster.com |publisher=Merriam Webster}}</ref>
== See also == * Electronic article surveillance
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{cite web | title = Booster Bags Use Foil to Foil Any Store's Anti-Shoplifting Machines | date = June 17, 2005 | work = RealTechNews | url = http://www.realtechnews.com/2005/06/17/booster-bags-use-foil-to-foil-store-security-machines/ | access-date = March 7, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100307173824/http://www.realtechnews.com/2005/06/17/booster-bags-use-foil-to-foil-store-security-machines/ | archive-date = March 7, 2010 | url-status = dead }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Booster Bag}} Category:Bags Category:Security
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