Oregon State University Arrests Student for Bomb Threat Hoax Involving Campus Food Delivery Robots

OSU Student Arrested for Hoax Bomb Threat Involving Starship Food Delivery Robots, Suspending Operation for Investigation and Causing Panic on Campus

Oregon State University (OSU) issued an alert because of a bomb threat hoax that targeted the autonomous Starship food delivery robots on its Corvallis campus. The hoax led to the temporary suspension of the robot services.
Within an hour of the alert, the robots were remotely isolated for inspection by law enforcement and the campus security. The inspection revealed that the threat was a hoax, with all robots cleared of containing any explosive devices.
The bomb threat originated from a social media post by a student named Ted Daniel Stock, who was subsequently arrested by the campus police. The motivation behind the threat is unclear, though it seems to have been intended as a prank.
Starship Technologies, which operates a fleet of 75 delivery robots on the OSU campus, maintains that the safety of their operations is of utmost importance. As a security measure, the robots are equipped with a loud siren intended to deter tampering attempts.
The incident highlights the challenges robotic and unmanned vehicle companies face in terms of misuse and threats. In response, companies like Starship reiterated the need for clear crisis response plans and active risk monitoring.