There is a crime gang terrorizing people in SA. Members of the band steal from people walking on deserted streets, kidnap people, and rape women. A few days back, the group kidnapped a small girl and demanded a ransom of US$100,000.
The police suspect the same group to be behind a string of murders and robberies. They use sophisticated methods and leave no clue at the crime scene. Most of the thefts take place around Prospect St, in Atteridgeville city, Gauteng State, west of Pretoria. The area is popular with criminals because places for police to hide are minimal. The police have tried night patrols, with limited success. The crime gang concentrates in areas without a camera surveillance system.
The police stations nine snake robots on side streets, notorious for street crime. The robots are equipped with a video camera, GPS, a massaging system and an alarm in case an unauthorized person tries to seize it.
A robot has 13 segments. It can take independent decisions, squeeze in narrow crevices, make quick maneuvers, stay motionless, move silently, and stand on its rear parts to record videos and take pictures.
Police officers decide to transport the robots in handbags and station them in strategic places on the side of streets at around 8.00pm in the evening and pick them up at 6.00am in the morning daily for two weeks.
On the third day of deployment, one of the robots sends this message to police: "Woman kidnapped, President Road, two blocks off 570 Prospect St.”
The policeman on duty sees a man holding terrified woman from behind with a knife to her throat on the giant video screen and alerts his superiors.
“Keep silent," said the man in a low, threatening, croaky voice. "Any movement and I will cut your throat.”
“Please don’t kill me,” the woman begged.
Immediately after that, a car pulls up beside them, and the driver jumps out, leaving the front door open. The kidnappers gag, handcuff and blindfold the victim. She struggles briefly before the attacker forces her into the back seat, helped by the driver. During the scuffle, the robot takes advantage and jumps into the car and hides under the driver's seat.
“Drive straight to the Go Jab,” said the attacker.
"See that no one follows us," replied the driver.
At that juncture the woman’s phone rings. The driver turns and looks at the attacker and nods. The attacker leaves the phone to hang up and then switches it off.
Meanwhile, the snake robot communicates to the police its position and that it managed to enter the car. It transmits its location to the police in real time. Police cars give chase, keeping about half a mile away to avoid detection. The attackers drove the woman to a rented property in Schoemansville, about 28km away.
The property is off the main road and has a fence all around with a blue gate. The attackers dragged the woman out of the car, leaving the car doors open.
The snake robot gets out and crawls into a garden near the entrance of the house. The robot stands on its rear segments and starts filming the entry, compound, and sounds, ready to hind when someone approached. The police arrive ten minutes later and storm the compound. They recover the snake robot and arrest the suspects.
The police arrest a total of 8 gang members and recover a wide variety of stolen items. Artificial intelligence is instrumental in busting a criminal network.