A FLEET of robots with built-in police sirens, strobe lights and the ability to use a “Darth Vader” voice are ready to take the fight to thieves.
Paesol Veerakitti, an engineer and entrepreneur, has developed “Guardian 1,” a robotic security system designed to help protect pricey catalytic converters from being stolen.
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According to a report by St John’s Citizen, thieves struck Duval’s Ford dealership in Jacksonville, Florida, earlier this year – making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in precious metals.
However, neighbouring Nimnicht Chevrolet was untouched – seemingly because it is protected by a 5-foot, flashing blue robot named Guardian 1, built by Veerakitti and his startup Robocor.
Veerakitti, 41, said: “Everyone can see it sitting there – lights blazing, sirens ready.
“The thieves only had to hop the fence, but they took one look and decided, ‘Nope, not tonight.’”
The theft of catalytic converters has been driven by the high value of precious metals they contain and has surged dramatically in recent years – creating a significant financial burden for car dealerships and individuals alike.
That’s where Guardian 1 comes in, specifically designed to guard against catalytic converter theft by patrolling dealership lots and using AI to detect intruders.
Its flashing police lights, alarms and even the ability to communicate through it in intimidating voices like “Darth Vader”, act as a deterrent, scaring off potential thieves before they can steal.
“It looks ominous and intimidating,” said Veerakitti.
“If you’re in a high adrenaline state and about to do a heist, it’s nerve-wracking to see this.”
If the robot does spot an intruder, it can contact the designated operator and from a phone, the operator can see what Guardian 1 sees.
“The operator can steer it, flash the strobes, even talk through it in a Darth Vader or Gremlin voice if he wants,” Veerakitti added.
At the Nimnicht lot, the Guardian 1 robot glides around the 16-acre lot in about 30 to 40 minutes and is great at covering blind spots that fixed cameras miss.
Veerakitti said: “Everyone can see the robot from Duval Ford.
“When they got hit, it was a big heist with hundreds of thousands of dollars in catalytic converters, but the thieves didn’t touch Nimnicht.
“All they needed to do was to hop over the fence or use a wirecutter.”
After the incident, Nimnicht ordered five more robots for its other dealerships and invested in RoboSecure, a new security vertical within Robocor.
Robocor sells each Guardian 1 for $14,000, or leases them for $1,000 a month – much cheaper than those sold by larger rivals.
Authorities say catalytic converter heists see thieves spend five to ten minutes per car – with dozens of vehicles needing to be hit to make it worthwhile.
At Duval Ford, for example, thieves were on the lot for eight hours.
Veerakitti said. “If a flashing robot rolls up in minute one, the thieves are going to take off.”
How to prevent vehicle theft
Here are 10 ways to avoid your car being stolen according to an auto insurance company:
- Lock your doors. It makes it more difficult for thieves to access anything inside the vehicle.
- Keep your keys on your person. With smart keys and fobs, a car can be unlocked if the key is close by. If the key is inside or on your person, it can’t be unlocked.
- Don’t leave a spare key near the vehicle, as thieves know to look for them in common places like in a wheel well, under items in the driveway, or in the glovebox.
- Keep windows closed. If a window is open, thieves can manually unlock the doors.
- Park in well-lit areas, as it helps detour thieves if their actions are visible to passersby.
- If your vehicle doesn’t have one, consider an anti-theft alarm system.
- If you live in a high-crime area, consider an immobilizer device that utilizes a kill switch if the device doesn’t recognize an authorized key.
- Consider a tracking device to be able to keep tabs on your vehicle’s location if it’s stolen.
- Never leave valuables in the car, especially in a visible spot. Thieves know to look in the floor boards, passenger, or rear seats for valuables.
- Double-check before leaving the vehicle that it’s secure.
- To protect wheels and tires, especially aftermarket wheels, consider wheel lock lug nuts. They require a special socket to remove, so they’re impossible to remove without it.
Source: Allstate Auto Insurance
