Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Shopping

From everyday essentials to big purchases, swap tips and recommendations. For the best deals without the hassle, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flip

Original poster

Any expert shoplifters around to share their wisdom?

18 replies

ScummyMummy · 09/02/2009 18:03

Bought a skirt from Gap and the bananaheaded sales assistants forgot to remove the security tag. I've tried attacking it with a hammer (it boinged off) trying to snap the pin bit with scissors (made slight hole in fabric of the skirt but not a dent in tag) and levering it with various knives. All to no avail and I embarrassed myself by having a minor temper tantrum in front of my kids... Help!Is there any way I can get it off? It's a bit of a trek to my nearest Gap and I've lost the receipt so don't know if they'll accept it back, esp in light of the slight damage I've inflicted on it. It's still very wearable though, if only I can get the tag off. Does anyone have any knowledge/ideas of how to achieve this? Eternal gratitude for all thoughts.

OP posts:

Ivykaty44 · 09/02/2009 18:06

Hmm - no ideas for you but to get scissors cut around tag and then sew up hole... may be better for your health rather than your style

verygreenlawn · 09/02/2009 18:07

My FIL - boringly lawabiding so I do believe him - did this with a bottle of whiskey which he gave us as a present - came in a box and he never thought to check inside the box.

It had one of those plastic collar things on and we sawed it off with a little hacksaw

lisaofpalatine · 09/02/2009 18:10

here

love custy

NAB09 · 09/02/2009 18:12

You will have to take it back. Chances are you will ruin it if you carry on and quite a lot of security tags leak ink when forcefully opened.

Why not phone them and see if you can post it to them and they post it back?

whitenoise · 09/02/2009 18:12

they will not accept with no receipt and a damaged tag on!!

You need a magnet

beware that some tags have die in them

thisisyesterday · 09/02/2009 18:13

i would just take it back and get them to remove it

EyeballsintheSky · 09/02/2009 18:16

I had this with dd's christening gown. Had to take it back as they left the tag in the matching cap. Trekked all the way back to the shop. Then, when putting DD in the dress on the day I found another tag in the underskirts. Too late to do anything about it so she had to wear it with the tag digging into her. Took it back again and not so much as an apology. Gits.

southeastastra · 09/02/2009 18:19

maybe take it to tesco or similar and ask them to remove it?

silverfrog · 09/02/2009 18:20

I had this with dd2's pram (!)

it was bought at Bluewater, and the mothercare in our home town did not use the same tags!

we eventually got another shop to remove it - quite a few have similar systems. so we kept asking and explaining, and found one that obliged.

Flightattendant12 · 09/02/2009 18:21

I have removed one before but can';t remember how, I think it involved a pair of pliers and some swearing.

whitenoise · 09/02/2009 18:25

but she has no receipt!

ComeOVeneer · 09/02/2009 18:30

Did you pay by card, could you wait for your statement and then take it with you to the shop and get them to remove it?

Coldtits · 09/02/2009 18:36

You need a round magnet out of a speaker. Place the tag INTO the centre of the magnet, then take the pin out.

tiggerlovestobounce · 09/02/2009 18:42

This happened to me and I first tried with a pair of pliers, which damaged the tag, but didnt do much to shift it.
I eventually managed to get it off by smashing the tag up with a hammer.
The screwdriver technique that wikihow suggests sounds a bit more graceful than the way I did it.

EldonAve · 09/02/2009 18:44

magnet should work
I've got them off with a blunt knife before (not breaking the pin) just sliding them apart

Original poster

ScummyMummy · 09/02/2009 20:14

Oh thank you, everyone. I'm sure one of these ideas will work. I am kind of stubbornly determined to get it off somehow even though it would probably make more sense to go back to the shop and beg them to replace it or at least take the tag off! Partner is refusing to let me take apart his speaker to get a round magnet so think I will try the wiki screwdriver trick as that's the least like anything I've tried so far. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks again for your wisdom. Knew there would be people who knew these things on mumsnet.

OP posts:

Coldtits · 14/02/2009 09:22

What did you do, Scummy?

Original poster

ScummyMummy · 16/02/2009 18:32

Hi coldtits. I got my partner to bash it to smithereens with a hammer. He seemed very pleased with the task and set to with gusto.

It looks v nice with my new purple tights and my bargainacious dark pink top covers the scissor scuff nicely so all is well. Thanks once again everyone for all your brilliant suggestions.

OP posts:

Flip