Booster bag

A booster bag is a hand-made item used to shoplift, typically from retail stores, libraries, and any other location employing security detectors to deter theft. The booster bag can be an ordinary shopping bag, backpack, pocketed garment, or other inconspicuous container which has been lined from the inside with aluminum foil. While some security detectors can overpower a booster bag if its lining is too thin, this too can be thwarted by using a minimum of 600 micrometers of foil. Since typical U.S.-bought aluminum foil is about 20 micrometers in thickness, this amounts to 30 layers of foil lining the inside of the bag.

An item is placed inside the booster bag (which is, in effect, a Faraday cage) and if it contains RF, AM or EM sensors, they won't be detected by security panels when exiting the location.

Booster bags have been used by professional shoplifters for several years. Using them, a shoplifter can steal dozens of items with very little effort. While the bags assist in foiling security detectors, they don't influence traditional security cameras, guards, etc. and therefore are still susceptible to law enforcement.