A security system to restrict unauthorized removal of an article from an area, said security system comprising: at least one security tag assembly structured for attachment to the article, said one security tag assembly including an RFID component structured for encoding the article data associated with the article to which it is attached, a deactivator assembly including a release component and a read component, said read component structured to read the article data encoded in said RFID component, and on-off modes operative to define restricted operation of said deactivator assembly, said restricted operation including deactivation of at least said deactivator assembly when in an off--mode, said deactivator assembly and said at least one security tag assembly being cooperatively structured to read, by means of said read component, the article data via proximity scanning of said at least one security tag assembly relative to said deactivator assembly, said release component operative to detach said at least one security tag assembly from the article substantially concurrent to said proximity scanning, and a processor including display facilities operatively associated with said deactivator assembly for display of article data read by and generated from said deactivator assembly, wherein said deactivator assembly is cooperatively structured to remain in an on-mode for a predetermined period of time and automatically reset into said off-mode upon expiration of said predetermined period of time, wherein the system further comprises at least one portable RFID device, carried and intended for use by predetermined authorized personnel, that is structured for wireless communication with said deactivator assembly and operative to establish at least the on- mode of said deactivator assembly, and wherein said portable RFID device is further structured to be disposed in scanning relation to said deactivator assembly to reestablish said on-mode in said deactivator assembly. at least one security tag assembly structured for attachment to the article, said one security tag assembly including an RFID component structured for encoding the article data associated with the article to which it is attached, a deactivator assembly including a release component and a read component, said read component structured to read the article data encoded in said RFID component, and on-off modes operative to define restricted operation of said deactivator assembly, said restricted operation including deactivation of at least said deactivator assembly when in an off--mode, said deactivator assembly and said at least one security tag assembly being cooperatively structured to read, by means of said read component, the article data via proximity scanning of said at least one security tag assembly relative to said deactivator assembly, said release component operative to detach said at least one security tag assembly from the article substantially concurrent to said proximity scanning, and a processor including display facilities operatively associated with said deactivator assembly for display of article data read by and generated from said deactivator assembly, wherein said deactivator assembly is cooperatively structured to remain in an on-mode for a predetermined period of time and automatically reset into said off-mode upon expiration of said predetermined period of time, wherein the system further comprises at least one portable RFID device, carried and intended for use by predetermined authorized personnel, that is structured for wireless communication with said deactivator assembly and operative to establish at least the on- mode of said deactivator assembly, and wherein said portable RFID device is further structured to be disposed in scanning relation to said deactivator assembly to reestablish said on-mode in said deactivator assembly.