Kahrs and Anti-shoplifting sensors

[Planedude]

So, My Son-in-Law asked me a question today. Has my concealed Kahr ever tripped the anti-shoplifting sensor of a store when exiting? Well...No, I have not had that problem, nor heard of it before today. Seems he has twice now tripped the sensors, but only when he is carrying his new P9.
I assured him that his P9 is not "RFID chipped" and there has to be another answer. My best guess is that his iPhone 5c is a more likely culprit than his P9. But I promised to put it out there to greater Kahr world...


So I ask, Has anyone, carrying their Kahr, had the anti-shoplifting towers "screech and tattle" on them when exiting a store and if so, did you suspect the system was detecting your concealed handgun?

Oh! and if their are any "yes, or maybe" answers, were you also carrying a concealed smart phone?

Thanks and Have a good one. PD

[Bawanna]

Not me and you know I roll through stores like a Snap On tool box.

Maybe if he takes the tag off the kahr before he tries to leave with it he won't have any problem.

Or he could just pay for it and I think the clerk takes the tag off.

[McE]

I highly highly doubt it's the gun, but for shts, giggles, and peace of mind, there's a simple way to test it.
Leave the gun in the car and walk through them.
If the alarm still gets tripped, you have your answer that it is not the gun. Do the same with the holster to rule that out.

[kenemoore]

I carry an all metal 1911 as my EDC, never set one off. Have to go with something electronic on his body.

[GROTMAN]

When I first got my carry permit and before I got my Kahr I started setting off alarms going in and out of stores. Was convinced my carry permit had some kind of chip in it. Went into a small bookstore that was pretty much empty and the mgr was nice enough to let me walk in and out of the store eliminating things as I did it until I finally found out the culprit was my wallet. There was a very thin "chip" pasted inside one of side compartments. Got rid of it and no more alarms. In retrospect wish I would have kept it..would have been a great joke to plant it on different people from time to time.

[JohnR]

Maybe if he takes the tag off the kahr before he tries to leave with it he won't have any problem.
We'd better add that to the "Proper Prep" thread. Just to see who pays attention. :D

[Hawkeye911]

When Illinois F-I-N-A-L-L-Y became the 50th state to pass concealed carry legislation, I did all the due diligence, and started carrying everywhere I legally could, every time I left the house.

For the first month, I was really concerned for the same reason your SIL is. Most the time, I was fine, but in about 10% of the few stores I visit, bells and whistles would sound, and every employee to turn and give me the stick-eye as if I were AL Capone. The only thing I knew that had changed was the CW380 in my pocket, and I had NO interest in anyone knowing about that.

I'd shrug, smile, and say "I don't know what that's about. I just came in!" And someone would make a smart comment about returning to the scene of the crime, etc. One clerk insisted it must be my new wallet- but I didn't have one. Another said that sometimes clothes have tags sewn hidden in a seam- but it had happened with different clothes. It did not make sense to me, because these things are not metal detectors, but I was starting to think it must be my firearm.

About the 10th time it happened, a Walmart manager near the door saw my frustrated look when I beeped upon entering. She mentioned the wallet and hidden tag, but I said that wasn't it. She looked down, and said, "Did you buy those shoes here?" "No..." "Sometimes they have a tag built in somewhere, and if it hasn't been deactivated, that could do it."

I had broken out my backup tennis shoes at the end of the winter to replace my old mucked-up ones, but it had been a while. BUT, I hadn't been to town much until my carry license came...

I said I'd have to see about it as soon as I could, and she said, "I can check them now, if you want to mess with it." BINGO! I slipped them off, she put them on the "deactivator," and I walked in and out (and in and out) with nary a beep. In my case, THAT was the answer, and it has never happened since.

I hope he can find something similar. If not his smart phone (don't know about that) he might try having them do his wallet and shoes... Good luck!

[berettabone]

I don't own a cell phone.................................had a Bodyguard semi that would trip them all of the time, until I took the little sticker off of the side of the slide.

[deadeye]

CM9 I carry everywhere. No problems.

[tom.p]

Uh-oh...RFID tracking in pistols...sounds like it will be the new California edition...

[tom.p]

What store was your son-in-law at when the alarm went off? I googled this and it seems to be a common issue in gun forums...Maybe those with "No Gun" policies are finding a way to detect them with a metal detector showing items of the right size for a gun?...Or maybe it's a common question because all of us with guns are paranoid that someone is trying to track us, and it's actually just the clothing tags. Then again, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there's not really someone after you.

[muggsy]

In all probability the alarm is being tripped by the product he just purchased. Sometimes the tags aren't properly deactivated by the store clerks. If they try to stop him from leaving just tell him to pull his gun. That should change their minds. Leastwise that's how we do it in Cleveland. :)

[tom.p]

If they try to stop him from leaving just tell him to pull his gun. That should change their minds. Leastwise that's how we do it in Cleveland. :) Why else do we own guns, if not to pull them out to intimidate store employees?

[Bawanna]

I'm reminded of one of my extremely rare visits to a somewhat distant shopping mall. You know what I'm talking about, 25 acres of parking, 75 acres of cars to park and people everywhere with stores all hooked together from here to the horizon and back.

I was wandering, killing time following the wife around, talking to mannequins, pestering small children, the usual.

Went by one of them Mens suits and sunday go to meeting dress up stores. Saw one that looked semi manly in a girly man sort of way and decided since I'd never owned a suit I'd try it on and see what all the hype is about.

Didn't give a thought to the 1911 on the belt as the salesman who I'm positive was Lebanese. It momentarily has a semi alarmed look upon his face which I of course put at ease when I told him I never shoot nobody that don't sorely need to be shot. He seemed ok with that.

I didn't buy the suit, felt like a damn straight jacket, couldn't move my arms, but it did hide the 1911 pretty good.

Been awhile, I might have to go and do something like that again when I build myself up to deal with the crowd. Holidays coming up, I better get shopping on line quick or face the crowd music. I think I'm anti crowd or something.

[Planedude]

My thanks to all for your responses. My Son-in-law states that these are different stores near the hotel he is staying while working out of town. I each case he has been in and out of these stores without being armed (prohibited at the job site) with nary a beep. The system has only screeched when packing his P9. He is tech savvy enough to know it shouldn't be the gun, but new enough to carrying (just a couple of months now) to have that touch of paranoia we all went through.
The P9 was an internet purchase (Buds IIRC) and was never in a store front to be "chipped". The box, maybe but the gun was cleaned and oiled before break in and is "sticky things" free.
The Son-in-law also has been in and out of the same storefronts, wearing the same clothing combos (not carrying) with out setting off the system. His out of town wardrobe at the gas drilling site is kept somewhat limited as doing some laundry is a lot easier than hauling a big trunk of clothes he tells me...

Now, at my job I happen to work with a lot of signals geeks (who are all double EE's) and I remember hearing them discuss something like this some time ago. When reminded, they told me that it was a theoretical discussion on the iPhone 5c's feature of "pay-by-phone" and if such a signal generator would be "sympathetic" to RFID based systems. One said yes, two said probably not, but a fourth (on a cruise to Mexico this week) is reported as "leaning to possible", so I guess its a maybe?
I suppose I should "Google it" and see if iPhones are an issue for anyone else.