A tag-based electronic theft-preventing system further comprises a first and second multi-axis magnetometer arranged at the two sides of an entrance to a shopping area and configured to output a first and second vector signal representing movement of a first and second magnetic field vector, respectively. A signal processor estimates a first rotation of the first magnetic field vector and a second rotation of the second magnetic field vector, and generates an indicator signal comprising indication of a counter-direction rotation or a same-direction rotation. The system computes therefrom if an unlock magnet for an anti-shoplifting tag is entering the shopping area and determines whether to warn about a possible theft-related event. Other indicators contemplated in the processing are for instance vector magnitude, continuity of detection, duration of detection, change in electric field. All indicators can be weighed and combined to better estimate the risk that a theft might be about to take place, while reducing false alarms and erroneous detections, since the system discriminates between an unlock magnet and other magnetic or metallic objects present in the entrance area.