Metal Detectors in Department Stores?

[Adventurer 2]

I admit to sometimes living under a rock.
This week i went to a Home Goods store with a friend. The store is located in Northern Virginia (one of the top 5 richest counties in America).
The alarm system at the door started loudly beeping when i walked in. I did a 180 and walked out - accompanied by loud beeping at my exit.
I put my legally carried handgun in my truck and returned inside the store -- no beeping this time.
When did this become a thing?
I have never had this happen to me at a box store. I always thought those posts at the door were for reading the little sticky tags placed in items that the store doesn't want walking away without payment.

[Aguila Blanca]

Were there any "No Guns" signs posted?

[Adventurer 2]

There were not "No Guns" signs posted.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by Adventurer 2

I have never had this happen to me at a box store. I always thought those posts at the door were for reading the little sticky tags placed in items that the store doesn't want walking away without payment.

Is it possible that your gun has an RF tag on it?

My late wife was from South America. On one of our trips to her country to spend Christmas with her family, we went to a shopping mall. As we entered one of the stores, she set of an alarm. When we investigated, we found that there was an inventory tag left in her purse from when she had bought it at a store in the U.S.

[armoredman]

I have never seen a store with metal detectors. The last time I had to walk through a scanner was the Trans Siberian Railroad concert in Phoenix. It was set poorly, missed my Zippo, and the security guy doing the wanding with the hand held scanner afterwards was lazy and untrained.
If I walked into a store and something started beeping, I would assume it was the detection system set to stop shoplifters going off on someone else leaving, and would keep on trucking. What are they going to do, ask to pat you down?
"What cause that beeping?"
"Sir, due to my condition, my colostomy bag has to have a titanium connector, happens all the time, especially when it's getting full...wanna SEE???"

[Adventurer 2]

I was wearing a Vedder kydex holster. I don't see an rfid tag anywhere on it. The handgun and holster are the only items I removed before entering the store again. No alarm the second entrance.

[Aguila Blanca]

I suppose you could try entering again, with just the holster. Don't know if you're curious enough to try -- I think I would be.

[ballardw]

Contact the store and ask?

[Adventurer 2]

A very small part of me would like to try again -- just not enough to go back -- i've made it this far in life with one visit to that store. Contacting the store is a good option -- just not sure how that conversation would go (so i won't do it). Was hoping someone on the forum would have insight.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Without seeing it happen more than once, what you have so far is a coincidence.

If they were metal detectors capable of detecting guns they would be going off CONSTANTLY. People carry all kinds of metal for all kinds of reasons.

I have walked in to stores many times in my life, with no gun, and had those gates beep at me.
I ignore them and keep walking.
No one has ever said a thing to me.

I've had them beep at me on the way out too... I also ignore them and keep walking. I'm not a thief. I'm not stealing anything, and those systems are notoriously unreliable.
No one has ever said a thing to me on the way out either.
Store employees are not police and they do not have the right to detain you except under very limited circumstances which amount to literally watching you steal. Even then, they have to be designated store "detectives", not your "Walmart greeter".

Besides... what are they going to detain and/or search you for on the way IN?

[4V50 Gary]

More likely anti-theft devices. Like Brian Pfleuger said, people carry all kinds of metal (keys, belt buckle, watch, jewelry and even cell phones because of their lithium batteries) that could set offf detectors.

BTW, I also live beneath a rock. Haven't entered a department store since Sears closed, I no longer enter one and used to pay my credit card in person (save a stamp b/c I'm cheap).

[FrankenMauser]

One of my phones used to set off the alarms.
A few years later, the combination of my phone and my CC would set of some alarms. -But only the combination, not one of them on its own.

[Screwball]

Originally Posted by Aguila Blanca

Is it possible that your gun has an RF tag on it?

OP, what gun?

I know some HKs had them for agency tracking purposes… but it never went further and think they stopped mid production.

[Adventurer 2]

CZ-P10 S

[Ajiel]

Hmmm... I live in Dallas and have never seen a metal detector at a store. Of course, around here I suppose quite a few people would set them off. My CCW has never set off those anti-theft devices at the exits of stores. They aren't metal detectors. They detect passive emmisions from small tags on items. Unless you have one on your gun, I don't know what to tell you. Did you just buy a new shirt that they forgot to take the tag off of?

[zeke]

If a store had an unannounced metal detector, they be heading for a legal discussion. Am very personally acquainted with one individual whose cardiologist insists no metal detectors or wands because of pacemaker.

[radom]

Anal RFD reader deal mess up is my bet.

[flyer898]

Ignore it. The worst is that you might get asked to leave.

[ammo.crafter]

Store carts have anti theft alarms that sound if they were not positioned correctly at registers. It has nothing to do with pay/no pay matters.

Did you notice anyone with a cart entering or leaving the store at the same time as yourself?

[4V50 Gary]

Good point Zeke! Thumbs up!

[dogtown tom]

armoredman.....The last time I had to walk through a scanner was the Trans Siberian Railroad concert in Phoenix. It was set poorly, missed my Zippo....

Likely it was set up correctly.
A magnetometer can be adjusted to discriminate between Zippo lighters, cell phones, car keys and metal plates in ones head versus a firearm.

[Sharkbite]

Thank goodness i started carrying one of those all ceramic metal detector defeating
G-locks. Eyeroll…

[Adventurer 2]

A magnetometer can be adjusted to discriminate between Zippo lighters, cell phones, car keys and metal plates in ones head versus a firearm.

This is what i was thinking but didn't know if was possible to get set to rule out most metal objects someone might have on them.
The only people around were my friend and i. I held the door open for her and she walked inside. When i walked in the alarm sounded. Nobody in between the scanner but me. I turned around and left -- alarm sounded when i was leaving also. Put my handgun and holster in my truck and came back inside -- no alarms.

[DT Guy]

It was almost certainly an RFID-based theft deterrent system. Walking through you could have caused a breeze that moved a tagged item, deflected enough RF to strike a tag or similar.

Magnetometers can be adjusted pretty precisely, but not on a large, walk-through system cheap enough for a retail store to install. If I had to guess, I'd suspect the HOLSTER has an RFID tag/sticker on it.

Larry

[oldmanFCSA]

I set off metal detectors all the time. IF I am stopped, I pull up my pantleg to show my below the knee prosthesis which is made from carbon-fiber, stainless steel, aluminum, more SS, metal screws, more SS, and a hydraulic cylinder in the foot mechanism.

They usually say Sorry Sir !!! and I proceed without showing my CCW (I am licensed).