Published on 28 Jul 2021 on MarketWatch
Home Depot uses Bluetooth to prevent stolen items from working and combat organized retail crime
Home Depot Inc. is using Bluetooth to deter organized retail crime, such as coordinated groups that steal from the retailer and take the goods to pawnshops or resell them on online marketplaces.
Home Depot is piloting the use of the technology on power tools at select stores across select states. The technology activates at the cash register or other point of sale, allowing the purchased items to work once they leave the store. A stolen item equipped with this Bluetooth technology won’t operate.