Anti-theft device with a thermally controllable locking mechanism

An anti-theft device for deterring theft of a protected article, the device comprising

• a first housing element comprising a female portion;
• a second housing element comprising a male portion;
• a locking mechanism adapted for releasably securing the male portion of the second housing element to the female portion of the first housing element, the locking mechanism comprising
• a thermally controllable element adapted to assume a first position at temperatures below a predetermined limit wherein the locking mechanism locks the male portion to the female portion, and a second position at temperatures above the predetermined limit wherein the locking mechanism releases the male portion from the female portion;
• heat generating means in thermal communication with the thermally controllable element, the heat generating means being adapted for receiving electro-magnetic energy and generating heat therefrom so as to heat the thermally controllable element;
• wherein
• the first housing element comprises a spring biased insert and at least two retaining balls contained therein;
• the female portion is in the form of a bore adapted for receiving the male portion of the second housing element;
• the device comprises a spring coil adapted for biasing the spring biased insert, such that the retaining balls are urged into frictional engagement with the male portion, thereby securing the male portion within the female portion;
• the thermally controllable element is arranged with respect to the biasing spring coil such that the thermally controllable element is adapted to counteract a biasing force of the biasing spring coil so as to release the frictional engagement between the retaining balls and the male portion when the thermally controllable element is heated to a temperature above the predetermined limit;
• and
• the thermally controllable element is adapted to be heated via induced magnetic energy.