Theft prevention system and method

A theft prevention system, comprising:

• a laser scanner having a scan zone and a secure zone defined within the scan zone;
• an RFID reader having a read zone;
• an RFID tag associated with authorized access to the secure zone;
• and
• a security component associated with the laser scanner and the RFID reader,
• wherein the laser scanner scans the secure zone to detect an object in the secure zone,
• wherein the RFID reader reads the RFID tag to authenticate access to the secure zone, and
• wherein the security component initiates a security action when at least one of the object detected in the secure zone is unauthorized for access to the secure zone and the object detected in the secure zone is unauthenticated for access to the secure zone,
• wherein the object comprises an individual having authorized access to the secure zone, and the security component initiates the security action when the authorized individual is no longer detected as being within the secure zone and the RFID reader has not detected exit from the secure zone by the authorized individual.

A theft prevention method, comprising:

• reading an RFID tag to authenticate access to a predefined area;
• scanning the predefined area to detect an object in the predefined area;
• and
• initiating a security action when the object detected in the predefined area is at least one of an unauthenticated object and an unauthorized object, including initiating the security action when an authorized individual as the object detected in the predefined area is no longer detected within the predefined area and reading of the RFID tag to detect exit from the predefined area by the authorized individual has not occurred.