Robotoki Panic Button Leads to LAPD Raid

[Zhukov]

So... the button wasn't labelled?

Nobody told anybody what the button was for?

 

[NimrodXIV]

I can only imagine the security footage looked something like this:

I think more like this:

Nope, like this:

(At least, it was my first thought.)

 

[ssgt splatter]

I can only imagine the security footage looked something like this:

*wheezes* *subdued laughter* You sir...this is...That's perfect! I LOVE IT!!!
...
...
DEE-DEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps they should label a button like this. Granted it probally won't stop someone from pushing it, but at least then the person who did push it can get yelled at.

 

[James Crosby]

Well, shit. This gives me nothing to rag on the LAPD about. Damn you mysterious developer!

I don't know, an armed assailant that never moves, even when the cops arrive and bust down the door, would strike me as kinda odd.

Still, its great that the LAPD were good sports about the whole thing.

When law enforcement responds to a incident, they have standard operating procedures they follow so they don't end up smoking a whole office. Sounded like the officers responding had good judgement vs. some of the other less flattering stories they've been apart of in the past.

And this does scream of publicity stunt. Not that it matters, playing a new COD game is about as fun as having dysentery.

 

[redisforever]

For who out there can resist the siren's song of the mysterious-looking, unmarked button? It demands to be pressed. Even if it turns out to do absolutely nothing, the curiosity of the button is too much. We must know what it does.

I think I'll install a random, useless button in one wall in my house. Leave it unmarked. All it does is turn on an LED next to it. That's it. A red LED. Screw putting up paintings or whatever, a button is more fun. Then I wait and see who presses it.

 

[Voulan]

This reminds me of a similar incident with a neighbour ringing the police because they saw the silhouette of a person with a gun in another person's home. It turned out to be a lifesize statue of Lara Croft, but the police went in, confiscated the statue and arrested the owner. I mean, what?

At least this incident went off okay. It's good to see some people have a sense of humour.

 

[NightmareExpress]

For who out there can resist the siren's song of the mysterious-looking, unmarked button? It demands to be pressed. Even if it turns out to do absolutely nothing, the curiosity of the button is too much. We must know what it does.

I think I'll install a random, useless button in one wall in my house. Leave it unmarked. All it does is turn on an LED next to it. That's it. A red LED. Screw putting up paintings or whatever, a button is more fun. Then I wait and see who presses it.

Hook it up to some kind of alarm device that sounds off so the person feels all embarrassed.
So then you can look them right in the eye, point and say "Gotcha".

Anyway, I kind of get this weird feeling like it was some sort of publicity stunt...
Or rather, it seems to be the perfect pretense for it. Install a security system, tactically place a CoD statue and have a(n unmarked?) button out for someone to press and then have the police (who were notified that you were doing this) raid arrive and laugh it off.

/Great indie conspiracy 2013

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Something tells me the cops watched the statue for more than ten seconds and figured out it was probably a model.

 

[popa_qwerty]

For who out there can resist the siren's song of the mysterious-looking, unmarked button? It demands to be pressed. Even if it turns out to do absolutely nothing, the curiosity of the button is too much. We must know what it does.

I think I'll install a random, useless button in one wall in my house. Leave it unmarked. All it does is turn on an LED next to it. That's it. A red LED. Screw putting up paintings or whatever, a button is more fun. Then I wait and see who presses it.

No troll them by putting a shocker in it than record there response and add a little counter to show how many victims you have now that will be more fun

 

[schiz0phren1c]

they need a "Don't Panic" button.

 

[Genocidicles]

Reminds me of that time in the when someone thought they saw a lion or something out in a field, and there was helicopters and everything trying to contain it.

Then they turned on the thermal imaging and saw it was a plush toy.

 

[Gilhelmi]

Am I the only one who thinks this was all a publicity stunt?

Employees are almost always - no, scratch that, they are ALWAYS told about fucking panic buttons because y'know...It's a fucking panic button! "Hey, in case our lives are in danger, push 'this' button"

And they just happened to have a life-sized statue of a scary-looking militaristic-type character propped up by the window where everybody outside can easily see them?

The closest thing I did to relate to this was when I was in a hospital and using their toilet. I pulled the red cord instead of the white one. One flushes the toilet, the other rings the alarm to let everyone know you're either dying or just stuck.

It was only installed one day before. They were probably going to tell everyone at the employee meeting.

Lead: "Next item on the list. Thanks to 'he who shall not be shamed' *looks at shamed employee*, everyone knows about the panic button we installed. Please do not push the button unless there is an emergency. *looks at shamed employee again*

Lets face it, if I had money to spend on stupid stuff, I would have a life-sized Borg statue in my living room, as well as a replica swords hanging on every wall. So let us not be too hard on the developer for buying cool statues.

 

[Gilhelmi]

Something tells me the cops watched the statue for more than ten seconds and figured out it was probably a model.

They probably order the statue to drop the weapon. Honestly, If I had been with the SWAT team, I might have shot the statue for not dropping the weapon. Though the police tend too be well enough trained to think fast enough too realize it was a statue.

Still, at least 10 seconds.

 

[MorganL4]

Am I the only one who thinks this was all a publicity stunt?

Employees are almost always - no, scratch that, they are ALWAYS told about fucking panic buttons because y'know...It's a fucking panic button! "Hey, in case our lives are in danger, push 'this' button"

And they just happened to have a life-sized statue of a scary-looking militaristic-type character propped up by the window where everybody outside can easily see them?

The closest thing I did to relate to this was when I was in a hospital and using their toilet. I pulled the red cord instead of the white one. One flushes the toilet, the other rings the alarm to let everyone know you're either dying or just stuck.

In fairness, the article did state that the button had only been installed the previous day. Usually that is a new higher orientation thing, they probably had not had the chance to orient all the current employees.

Don't get me wrong, it was still a stupid thing to do, but as the button was barely 24 hours old, I can kinda see why they pushed it.

But yeah, probably got themselves fired anyway. I can picture it now:

Interviewer: It says here on your application you were terminated from your last position, can I ask why?

Interviewee: I pushed a button.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Something tells me the cops watched the statue for more than ten seconds and figured out it was probably a model.

They probably order the statue to drop the weapon. Honestly, If I had been with the SWAT team, I might have shot the statue for not dropping the weapon. Though the police tend too be well enough trained to think fast enough too realize it was a statue.

Still, at least 10 seconds.

Well they saw it from outside the window. I imagine that they could tell pretty quickly it was not a person. I hate to sound like a dick but the LAPD being trained to identify targets is a bit of a bad joke. Just ask 71 year old Emma Hernandez who took 2 in the back only very recently when they thought she was a six foot tall rogue ex cop.

 

[Sectan]

Aren't things like "public" panic buttons or fire alarms covered in glass with a little hammer nearby so idiots and the curious don't usually touch them?

 

[Strazdas]

Well, they should properly let their employees know what a button like that does.

What if there were an actual reason to press it and they didn't even know it would do what it does?

The story says that it was installed only a day ago. It could be tey planned to tell everyone in a meeting, like, say, the next day, but the guy was quicker.

Aren't things like "public" panic buttons or fire alarms covered in glass with a little hammer nearby so idiots and the curious don't usually touch them?

Not around here. Reason? Folks steal the hammers.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Hey hey...so, if a bunch of gunmen had stormed the building, the guy'd be standing there next to the button not knowing he could press it and summon armed police?

 

[xdiesp]

They are lucky they haven't wiped them out, and then accused them of living in a war zone.