Combating Theft or Kidnapping Using the Separation Distance Method

Abstract

The increasing rate of theft and kidnapping, especially involving vulnerable individuals such as children and the elderly, has necessitated the development of proactive and technology-driven safety solutions. This research proposes and evaluates the Separation Distance Method. The system is designed to trigger an alert when the measured distance exceeds a predefined threshold, indicating a potential abduction or theft scenario. To implement this, a combination of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology and the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) was employed to estimate distances between paired devices. A mathematical model was developed based on the path loss equation to dynamically calculate the distance from RSSI values. A mobile application was also created to simulate real-world conditions and generate alerts if the separation distance exceeds 5 meters, a value chosen for its balance between safety and practicality. Results from the simulation demonstrated the effectiveness of the system in triggering timely alerts when a device or person moved beyond the critical distance. In a controlled test scenario, alerts were successfully triggered in 100% of trials when the separation exceeded the threshold, with minimal false positives in static or minor movement conditions. These findings validate the system's potential as a low-cost, scalable preventive measure against theft and kidnapping. This work highlights the need for integration of smart proximity-based solutions into everyday security practices and encourages further research into more advanced sensors and AI-based decision-making to reduce false positives and increase reliability.