Amazon has announced the debut of Astro the robot security guard. The robot has an HD periscope and night vision to patrol and map up to 5,000 square feet of space and can work autonomously via preprogrammed routes and routines or manually via the Amazon Astro app, according to GeekWire.

In addition to purchasing the hardware, there are subscription and monitoring options to assist the technology when on patrol. This is the first time the technology is available to businesses; a version of Astro was offered to home users on an invite-only basis in 2021.

“We have been testing Astro in a variety of businesses and have seen firsthand how Astro’s intelligent motion helped provide visibility on blind spots and areas that existing stationary cameras couldn’t see, giving business owners peace of mind because their inventory and property are protected even when they aren’t there,” Anthony Robson, head of product for Amazon Astro, said in a statement.

According to CNBC, “Amazon pointed to data from the National Retail Federation, a trade association and advocacy group, showing that shrink, which includes shoplifting and organized retail crime, reached nearly $100 billion in 2022.”

According to Amazon, Astro for Business is available for purchase starting at $2,349.99. Customers who purchase the robot security guard will receive a free four-month trial of Ring Protect Pro ($20/month) and Astro Secure ($60/month). If subscribed to both Ring Protect Pro and Astro Secure, customers can also add Virtual Security Guard for $99/month. Astro for Business is only available in the United States.

Want to help the c-store industry get a handle on the crime problem? NACS is conducting an industry-wide survey quantifying and measuring crime at c-stores.