Abstract: An electronic article surveillance system includes a main apparatus; one or more relays connected to the main apparatus through cables; and one or more tags which are connected to the relays through cables. Each relay includes a resistance variation detecting section for successively detecting the resistance variation of one or more tags and for producing detection data; a data comparing section for comparing data prestored in memory with the detection data; a warning generating section for generating a warning when there is no coincidence in the comparison; and a tag surveillance operation stop section for stopping the warning generating operation for the subject relay or for a specific tag from among one or more the tags in response to an external control signal. An electronic article surveillance system is provided which is capable of selectively stopping the generation of the warning associated with the tag to be removed in situ when the tag is removed from the merchandise article for a proper reason.