Importance

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Abstract

A system for deterring theft is made up of a clamp for attaching to a small item of merchandise such as a wallet, check book wallet or pocketbook and a spreading tool for attaching the clamp to and removing it from the item. The clamp is a generally U-shaped clamp having two clamping arms with a relatively strong biasing force between them. Padding is provided on the inside surfaces of the clamping arms. At least one of the clamping arms is provided with teeth which, when the clamp is attached to the item, will cut into the surface of the item if an attempt is made to slide the clamp relative to the item. The spreading tool opens the clamping arms against the biasing force to allow the clamp to be attached to or removed from the item. The preferred tool has biasing springs which tend to keep the jaws in a nearly closed equilibrim position. In a second embodiment a sliding retainer keeps the clamp in place relative to the spreading tool while the clamp is being attached to the item. Flanges are also provided on the jaws of the spreading tool to hold the clamp in place. A method of deterring theft of an item of merchandise such as a wallet includes the steps of clamping a clamp to the item such that a billfold, credit card slot or check book slot is closed off by the clamp.

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First Claim