Shop thieves are using new radio jamming equipment to deactivate store alarms, police have warned.
The handheld devices can work from up to two metres away and can function from inside a bag or coat. They are about the size of a large mobile phone and have a simple on/off switch and one LED light.
They allow thieves to steal security-tagged goods such as spirits and non-food items without triggering door alarms. A number of organised thieves have been caught using them in central London and Glasgow.