A scanner for scanning items marked with tags is disclosed. The scanner has a laser for producing a beam, a mirror assembly to re-direct the beam, a deflecting arrangement to receive the re-directed beam, the deflecting arrangement including a horizontal deflector, a vertical deflector and a pair of synchronized drivers to drive the deflectors, a steering mirror to steer the deflected beam, a scanning mirror to direct the beam onto the tag to be scanned, and a light collection system to collect light reflected by the tags.