A security robot called K9 hired to keep homeless people from setting up outside of San Francisco office buildings was knocked over and smeared with feces.
K9 was used by a San Francisco animal charity to deal with growing crime related to people sleeping on the sidewalks.
The robot has not received a warm welcome on the streets, as made very clear by the smearing of poop all over it.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was warned by officials that it will be fined $1,000 a day if the group continues to use the robot with out a permit.
But the SPCA also has to make sure the robot is safe, after reports of people covering its sensors with barbecue sauce, knocking it over, and covering it with a tarp. Jennifer Scarlett, president of the San Francisco SPCA said:
"We weren't able to use the sidewalks at all when there's needles and tents and bikes, so from a walking standpoint I find the robot much easier to navigate than an encampment."
Scarlett added that since K9 started working one month ago, there has been a decrease in car break-ins and homeless people using the space.