Getting your
Trinity Audioplayer ready...HOLLISTER — The robots came in peace. The humans greeted them with violence.
That’s the scenario that played out Thursday in Hollister, where several “robotic assessment units” are traversing the city and evaluating its pedestrian infrastructure.
An unidentified person strolled up to one of the robots near West and 5th streets and “intentionally knocked it onto its side,” according to the Hollister Police Department.
Another incident happened near 4th and Line streets. Police said a second unidentified person appeared to hit two of the robots and pour a beer over one of them.
Both incidents were captured by the robots’ onboard camera systems, according to police.
Deployed and operated by Daxbot, the robots are evaluating sidewalks, pedestrian pathways and curb ramps, police said. The project, police added, is funded through the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program and is intended to help the city identify areas where pedestrian infrastructure may not meet current accessibility standards.
“While the presence of these robots may naturally generate curiosity, the Hollister Police Department reminds the public that these units are performing an important public service,” police said.
Police are investigating the incidents as acts of vandalism and are asking for the public’s help in identifying the people involved.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact the police department at 831-636-4331.