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.”

  • snooggums
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    771 month ago

    They feel like there is less crime, because they have bought into security theater.

    • Pennomi
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      421 month ago

      Ironically security theater can have a a placebo effect on crime rates as well. It turns out that the likelihood that someone commits a crime is strongly correlated to the chance they believe they will get caught, not the actual chance of getting caught. That’s why fake security cameras are so effective.

      • @Bjornir@programming.dev
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        91 month ago

        It make sense, when you make a decision you make it based on the data you have not the truth. So security theaters are effective as long as people who are thinking about commiting a crime think it is working. And they care about getting caught.

        • @Doomsider@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          Bullocks. You could make the crime for stealing death and execute everyone who does. There would still be stealing.

          Simply put most criminals don’t think about consequences.

      • @Doomsider@lemmy.world
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        41 month ago

        This only applies to rational actors. The problem is most criminals are not rational nor thinking of consequences.

        Case in point, criminals know convenience stores have cameras but still openly rob and steal from them.

    • FlashMobOfOneOP
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      -11 month ago

      Realistically, with the robot having been around now almost six months, I’m more willing to consider that the locals have noticed a difference in their experience going shopping. That’s more than enough time to notice the kind of changes the locals appear to have experienced since they stopped relying on the police.

  • @AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world
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    21 month ago

    The robot can spend 23 hours a day monitoring the parking lot from all angles

    Do they get a mandated one-hour break or something?

    • Pennomi
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      41 month ago

      Charging maybe? A robot’s gotta eat too.

        • Pennomi
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          21 month ago

          I mean, maybe that hour is a human swapping batteries and giving it a light cleaning?

  • FlashMobOfOneOP
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    61 month ago

    TBH, I trust a security robot way, way more than I trust the KCPD at this point.

    Our police are state-controlled and don’t seem to give a damn about locals, and they’ve shown themselves to be completely inept to stem the stream of burglaries and theft that’s occurred in the city over the past year. My own car got ripped off less than a year ago, forcing me to have to replace a window, but that’s small potatoes compared to what many others are experiencing.

    • @Carrolade@lemmy.world
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      21 month ago

      It was just a matter of time, we’ve had automated vacuum cleaners for ages now.

      Putting guns on them is a bit harder, you definitely want a well-tested system for that. But cameras is pretty easy.

    • @seaQueue@lemmy.world
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      21 month ago

      I’m waiting for someone to knock it over with their car and shoot it, that’s the American way after all

  • @aeronmelon@lemmy.world
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    21 month ago

    The headline makes it sound like people are scared to report crimes because they don’t want to talk to RoboMallCop.

    • @Ste41th@lemmy.ml
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      11 month ago

      “Please wait for a human agent to speak with you”

      Hold music plays

      “You are number 2 in the queue”

      Hold music continues playing

      “To report an active crime call the police”

      ……

    • FlashMobOfOneOP
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      21 month ago

      So do I, and yes, that could happen.

      However, according to the article, it’s been around six months now and is having a positive effect.