A three-foot tall security ‘robot’ is issuing loud warnings to walkers on a field in Bury. The security unit is close to a public footpath, off Scobell Street in Walshaw.
Dog walkers and those enjoying the green space close to the compound have been shocked by a wailing siren and a metallic ‘Dalek’ voice stating ‘Warning -your presence has been detected’ before a further warning that ‘police have been informed’.
The area, which was until recently green belt land, has been re-allocated for a massive housing development of 1,250 homes in the coming years as part of the Place For Everyone strategic plan.
The drilling company doing soil sampling work at the site said the devices were only supposed to detect movement inside the compound and a ‘mistake had been made’ with motion sensors which would be fixed. The land in question, although owned by developers, is currently criss-crossed by public rights of way and is presently green land which can be accessed via a stile from Scobell Street.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service visited the area and as the compound was approached, the robot activated. A bright light flashed on the device before a loud siren sounded for around three seconds.
A voice, with an unmistakeable Northern Irish accent, states: “Warning- your presence has been detected – the owner and police have been informed.”
At no point was any trespass on to the compound made and the metal security fence was never touched.
The robots could be activated from around a metre outside the compound.
After another video of the Northern Irish accent warning robot being activated was posted on a community Facebook group, one commenter likened the voice to DCI Ted Hastings, played by Adrian Dunbar in the BBC crime drama, Line Of Duty.
Another commenter, replied: “Yes the warning should be ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, can you just move away’.” The security robot inside the compound is an Armadillo VideoGuard 360 also known as a ‘360 video Dalek’.
They use high-definition cameras, motion sensors and a vocal and visual warning system to detect potential security threats. Marketing material for the units, states: “They are a mobile, all-in-one security unit that provides 360-degree surveillance with advanced detection technology, designed for protecting temporary or remote sites.
“It integrates cameras, motion sensors, and remote monitoring to deliver real-time security without the need for on-site personnel.” A spokesman for the drilling contractor responsible for the compound said the the units had been mistakenly been set up with motion sensors pointing outside the compound as well as inside the fence.
He said: “The security devices shouldn’t be going off unless the perimeter is compromised. “Dog walkers and people passing by on the field aren’t a security threat so it’s a mistake that the warning siren and voice is is being activated
“The settings for the sensors can be changed remotely so hopefully the issue will soon be sorted.”
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