The Danish Rullemarie Died On a Peace Mission

The danish robot Rullemarie ("Rolling Mary") is dead. She was deployed with a note in her hand to be handed over to an armed desperado. However, the desperado wasn't interested in reading the note, but shot the robot to pieces and also attacked her with an axe. Now the danes have to buy a new robot as she was damaged beyond repair. Rullemarie's job used to be to defuse bombs. This was her first ever "peace mission".


Photo: Scanpix/arkiv (TV2)

Rullemarie robot shot, bludgeoned with axe after attempted arrest

It seems that police were having trouble contacting a man that was holding out in a cottage, so they decided to send in their trusty "Rullemarie" robot on a mission of peace. The criminal doesn't appear to have been in a mood to negotiate, however, and promptly shot the unarmed bot a few times before bludgeoning it with an axe.

Danish news links : (in danish...)
DR: Rullemarie mødte sit endeligt
Avisen.dk: Radiobil kunne have reddet Rullemarie
TV 2 Nyhederne: Skal forklare ofring af Rullemarie

Here's a video of Rullemarie. It's in danish, but you can see what she looked like. She was very advanced.

a reply to: Hellmutt

Having a great big machine coming at you could make anyone nervous.

Why was the guy holed up in the cottage? The 2nd article doesn't say and the 1st wouldn't open (cloudflared). How did the situation end?

I'm imagining the middle of nowhere with police, 'robot' and a guy with a gun. Almost surreal.

The man was 58 years old at the time, 68 today, if he's still alive. He was put in prison, I don't know for how long.


Google translated from the last article linked in the OP:

The 58-year-old is today detained and charged with violence and threats to the police, to endanger the lives of others in an inconvenient manner and threat to life.

a reply to: Hellmutt

Why was he doing what he was doing?

a reply to: Kandinsky

I don't know. All articles focus on Rullemarie, and how expensive she was. The police was criticized for using Rullemarie for this mission, as a cheap small radiocontrolled toy could've performed the same task.

a reply to: Hellmutt

A loud voice could have done the same thing and for no cost

The desperado was apparently assigned to the Home Guard. I guess that's why he was armed. The cost of a Rullemarie could've been used to pay for six police officers to patrol the streets for a whole year.