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‘It scared them off’, Kansas City shoppers report less crime thanks to security robot patrolling strip mall (www.kctv5.com)

submitted 1 month ago by FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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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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[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 134 points 1 month ago (19 children)

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

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 83 points 1 month ago (10 children)

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.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 25 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Hate to say it (re: security theater), but I think that is correct. I've read articles stating a drop in crime in places where they just have a cardboard cutout of police officers in the window.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 2 points 1 month ago

It could also just have been a hot August, leading people to feel lethargic and steal less than they did earlier in the year? (How reliable do we think this data actually is btw?)

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