CUSTOMERS at a popular retailer have been shocked after an anti-theft measure that blocks sight was set off by accident.
On Friday, in the southeastern portion of Melbourne, Australia, a Coles supermarket activated a little-known anti-theft device while shoppers were scouring its shelves for merchandise.
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Around 10:20 pm local time, a dense fog began sifting through the store, per Nine News.
The fog wasn’t the result of a change in weather but the unintentional activation of a “new” theft deterrent, Yahoo! News reported.
Used through technology implemented in a fog machine, a security company in Australia is often tasked to place its designs within retailers as a way of mitigating theft when locations are closed during evening hours.
JS Security Solutions explained in a conversation with the outlet that the fog is often known as “security smoke” and is intended to activate seconds after a thief breaks into a store.
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It then supposedly keeps the intruder from seeing and making his way around the area to grab any grocery items or valuables.
The anti-theft fog device isn’t just used at retailers in Australia, according to the security company’s website.
It has been and can be placed at “all types of businesses from offices to schools, pubs to warehouses.”
Although JS Security Solutions noted retailers to be where the anti-theft fog machines are most requested.
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“The biggest growth in usage has been in the retail sector with companies like Caltex, IGA and Woolworths Supermarkets installing Smoke & Security Fog Protection across their stores keeping their staff and their stock protected,” the site read.
There is also no reported health risk with the fog.
Shoppers were baffled by the fog and low visibility. from the device’s activation on Friday in Melbourne, with some seemingly fleeing and others taking to Reddit with pictures of the incident.
One customer claimed they heard “a loud pop” before checking out at the Coles store, and fog soon covered the area.
“There was no burning smell, and everyone in the store was relatively calm, however, the fire alarm did go off,” they wrote.
“The smoke eventually went away after 2-3 minutes.”
They asked: “Does anyone know what it may have been?”
Others noted their surprise to see the entire location “fill with smoke.”
The U.S. Sun has contacted Coles for comment on the fog incident and to confirm if it was an accident involving an anti-theft measure.
Earlier this year, Coles claimed that “hundreds of thieves” have been caught stealing almost every week in its stores.
Coles also noted it had ramped up its anti-theft tech efforts through advanced security cameras and the implementation of gates.
“Coles has a range of security measures in place to reduce theft from our stores including CCTV, electronic article surveillance (EAS) and in some stores, new smart gate technology that automatically opens as customers make payment for their products,” a spokesperson previously told Yahoo! News.
“Additionally, trolley lock technology has been in place at a number of our stores in recent years and this technology uses sensors to prevent trolleys leaving the store if someone hasn’t first paid at a register.”
They added: “Some of these security measures are trials at this stage, and we are keen to hear what our customers think of the new technology before it is rolled out further.”
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For more on Coles, check out The U.S. Sun’s coverage of why a secret alarm stunned a shopper at the retailer earlier this summer.
The U.S. Sun also has the story of an “apology” found on a Coles customer’s receipt.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/9692043/shoppers-popular-grocery-chain-shocked-wild-anti-theft/