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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/19944734

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A sight previously thought to be science fiction is very real at a southeast Kansas City shopping center. Instead of a police officer, a security robot has been patrolling sidewalks and shoppers are taking notice.

Since Marshall the robot has been on the job, shoppers say the experiences have completely changed when they come to these stores. The robot can spend 23 hours a day monitoring the parking lot from all angles which gives people a new sense of protection and ease they don’t always have when out.

Marshall took over security at Brywood Centre in April. Before that, Karen White noticed a lot of trouble outside the shopping center.

“Sometimes it’d be concerning for your car like someone could take it or something,” White said.

Knowing now that Marshall is always watching, the risk of crime does not worry her or others as much.

“It made it very better, like you can’t be in the parking lot without seeing the robot,” White continued. “So, I think it scared them off.”

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[-] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 4 points 1 hour ago

All I'm getting out of this is further proof that the "general publics" sense of safety exists entirely removed from anything fact based

[-] njm1314@lemmy.world 8 points 3 hours ago

First of all if you're too scared to go into a store because you think your car is going to be robbed You're probably too scared to live in public. However from the description it sounds like this thing's just a tall camera? It can't do anything except monitor? So how is this any better than those towers with cameras on them?

[-] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 20 points 6 hours ago

One of these hit my car. It was out patrolling randomly in a parking lot and I pulled up to get a better look at it. I stopped like 6 ft in front of it but it just kept on coming and ran into my fucking car.

[-] Murdoc@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 hours ago

"You are illegally parked on private property. You have twenty seconds to move your vehicle." -ED-209

[-] wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 5 hours ago

Sorry, I laughed. Did it do damage? What was the outcome?

[-] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 10 points 5 hours ago

Left some paint on the car but that was it.

[-] Srootus@sh.itjust.works 18 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Imagine shoplifting and they show up at the exit like:

[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 33 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

"Pick up your gum wrapper. You have 20 seconds to comply..."

[-] SARGE@startrek.website 8 points 5 hours ago

Pick up that can

[-] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 9 points 8 hours ago
[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 8 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

Ha, good catch. Damn you autocorrect!

[-] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago

I have a really cute video of my 3 year old daughter chasing one of those through the mall.

[-] mrpalmer16@lemmy.ml 40 points 9 hours ago

Does it resemble a Dalek on purpose, I wonder?

[-] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 23 points 9 hours ago

It's like if Aperture Science designed a Dalek

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[-] JulesTheModest@sh.itjust.works 8 points 9 hours ago

I think so, lol. Dalek security guards are scary indeed.

[-] EherNicht@feddit.org 20 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

BIG BROTHER advanced to level 3.

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 12 points 9 hours ago

On the one hand, yes, on the other hand, it's unlikely to brutalize or kill people for minor offenses, so maybe a win for a public space?

[-] EherNicht@feddit.org 7 points 7 hours ago

I don’t know about you but I don’t like to be watched by big brother all the time.

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 hours ago

Right there with you, but there's no legal expectation of privacy in public, so it's futile to complain about on that basis. Especially when ring doorbell cams are everywhere already. So the silver lining is a security robot won't do this.

[-] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 3 points 4 hours ago

maybe no legal expectation, however I ask you when were you or any other common person asked about legal expectations. don't come with "everyone at election", because everyone knows its not true, in any sense

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 4 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 17 minutes ago)

Dude, we're on the same side in this, I just know ~~what~~ some battles have already been lost.

[-] nokturne213@sopuli.xyz 5 points 7 hours ago

Unlikely, but there is still a chance. It could always call its pig cousins to brutalize or kill you on its behalf.

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 hours ago

Fair point!

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 11 points 8 hours ago
[-] anarcho_blinkenist@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 hours ago

exactly my thought

people consumed all these dystopian movies and thought "what a great rubric for society!" we're so fucked lol. These death machines (like drones and such) are also where the most work and funding go for machine learning and AI research too. What could go wroooong

[-] wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 15 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

This is relatively low on my list of privacy concerns, being that it seems to be patrolling and surveiling privately owned property.

[-] AmericaDelendaEst@hexbear.net 10 points 5 hours ago

it literally says it reads shit off your phone/other smart devices, you're being tracked

privately owned property

quick, name a space that isn't

[-] blandfordforever@lemm.ee 2 points 1 hour ago

It's good that you're concerned about the data your phone may be revealing to other nearby devices. It's generally a good idea to have bluetooth/wifi/nfc turned off if you're not actively using them. Even without the robot, you have no idea what data companies might be collecting when you're physically on their property.

[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 5 points 5 hours ago

Radio signals don't recognize property boundaries.

[-] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 2 points 4 hours ago

nor does visible light

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 13 points 9 hours ago

“Sometimes it’d be concerning for your car like someone could take it or something,” White said.

Wow, that couldn't be a better sentence to highlight the layers of meaning in that comment.

[-] protist@mander.xyz 9 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

I've seen Chopping Mall and know how this is going to end

[-] Murdoc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago

Runaway as well, but without the mall.

[-] theyllneverfindmehere@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago

I'm glad someone else had this thought!

[-] ohellidk@sh.itjust.works 10 points 9 hours ago

I wonder if it can be hacked to spin fast in nonstop circles the entire day?

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[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 9 points 9 hours ago

I live under a rock and don't get out much due to physical disability, but I don't see a security improvement. I see a data mining monstrosity and further reason to avoid local retail.

[-] gaylord_fartmaster@lemmy.world 10 points 9 hours ago

Avoid local retail in favor of what, a website? If you're concerned about the data mining potential of this robot rolling around a strip mall then you should avoid the internet at all costs.

[-] wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 8 hours ago

Gaylord fartmaster makes an excellent point.

[-] linearchaos@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago

It's a roving mobile camera. It doesn't get distracted easily or bored or tired and isn't apathetic and It doesn't hate its job. Criminals don't want to be filmed doing their crime.

Normally if you are not actively doing anything provably wrong the mall cops will just kick you out, this thing is going to provide evidence to the actual police.

But I have to admit any significant security advantages that it provides are going to be short-lived while the thieves just change their plan. They'll just have to be faster and more aware of where this thing is, or do a better job of hiding their face.

[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 1 points 5 hours ago

It's gotta be pretty easy to disable.

Wear a mask and gloves, walk up with what, a stun gun and give it a nice jolt. Or just throw a wire mesh bag over it.

Other similar bots have been pushed into fountains.

[-] linearchaos@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

Yeah taking it out of the picture isn't the problem but that starts the timer. The thing's being remotely monitored and that would bring the police

Ideally the criminals want to loiter. Look for targets.

I strongly suspect if you were able to get enough tagged data for shoppers versus Nair do wells, purely from video surveillance footage you could target potential thieves based on location of movement characteristics.

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[-] cyrano@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 8 hours ago
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this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2024
102 points (94.7% liked)

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