A few weeks ago I was in Macy’s in New York City with my wife, who was shopping for birthday presents, when I spotted an unusual and cool-looking shirt. I tried it on. My wife approved, and I bought it and brought it home.types of security tag

When I started to put it on I was surprised to find that the white plastic anti-theft security tag was still attached. No alarm had gone off when we exited Macy’s, and now I had to get that thing off.First thing I did was call Macy’s at the Buckland Hills mall in Manchester and learned that if I had the receipt, which I did, a clerk would remove it, which he did.

But what would you do if you didn’t have the receipt? How would you get the tag off?

and here’s what I found: All tags, whether circular or rectangular, use the same locking mechanism, a simple spring and clip.

• Ink tags: First determine if the tag is an ink tag, which is usually white or red and circular and usually says it contains red, pink, or blue and yellow ink that may combine. If you try to remove it improperly the tag will “explode” marking the thief — or you — and the item with ink.
Method 1. Use scissors, a screwdriver, a high-powered magnet, a knife, or a pair of pliers. With a magnet, place it on the table and position the tag bottom side down on the magnet. You should hear it click. Manipulate the pin up and down, and it should come out.

• Method 2: Use a lighter to melt the top part of the cone on the ink tag. It should take about 15 seconds. Scrape the melted part of the cone off with a knife. Then use the knife to pop out the first ball bearing. Carefully pop out the rest of the ball bearings. After the first one comes out, the others should easily pop out. Then slide apart the two pieces of the security tag. Once the ball bearings are gone, the tag should come apart easily.

• Method 3: Using a flathead screwdriver on a rectangular tag, put the clothing on a table or the floor with the rectangular piece pointing up. Place the screwdriver along the edge of the raised area of the tag. Press down hard so that you pierce the plastic where the head is located. Repeat all the way around the raised area until you can remove it. Take the screwdriver and lift up one of the metal arms that you can see keeping the pin in place. The pin should slide through the hole, allowing you to part the two pieces of the security tag safely.

• Method 4: Using a large rubber band, find where the pin is on the inside of your clothing next to the ink-cartridge part of the security tag. Wrap the rubber band around this pin several times until it is tight. Add a second rubber band if the first one doesn’t pop the two pieces apart.

An alternative: Place the ink cartridge, which is on the opposite side of the pin, face down. Slip the rubber band around the pin. Hold the larger part of the tag with one hand. Pull the pin off with the other hand. The pin should eventually pop off or pull apart.