German police in Cologne opened an investigation into suspected sexual harassment after a humanoid robot touched a 16-year-old girl’s buttocks and made thrusting movements toward her, while its 16-year-old owner and a 19-year-old companion allegedly filmed and livestreamed the incident online.
The incident unfolded during the night of October 10 to October 11, according to Cologne police. The victim was standing outside a fast-food restaurant at the intersection of Palmstrasse and Hohenzollernring in central Cologne alongside two friends, aged 17 and 18, when the device approached from behind.
Police allege the machine touched the girl’s buttocks and made thrusting motions against her. The teenager screamed and moved away from the device as the encounter played out on a lively nighttime street.
Police Seize Red-And-Gold Robot
Emergency teams dispatched to the scene tracked down the suspects nearby near Magnusstrasse and Hohenzollernring. Officers discovered the machine stashed in the trunk of a Volkswagen vehicle, according to Cologne Police.
Authorities confiscated the device along with two mobile phones belonging to the suspects. Investigators are examining the equipment to determine whether the robot’s movements were preprogrammed or controlled in real time. The owner is a 16-year-old boy from Wegberg, Germany, while his companion under investigation is 19 years old.
North Rhine Westphalia Police Cologne published an image on Facebook showing the device lying on the ground. The machine stands approximately 1.2 meters, or about 3 feet 11 inches, tall. It was dressed in a white tank top and black sweatpants, accessorized with a gold chain, sunglasses, and a fake mustache.
Suspects Livestream Encounter
Investigators state that the two young men recorded the encounter, streamed it live on social media, and provided live commentary as the robot approached bystanders. Videos circulating on platforms like TikTok show the two teenagers escorting the machine toward a group of women, bumping into one and hugging others while people nearby laughed.
The two teenagers have not been formally charged but are considered suspects by German authorities. Police are investigating the case on suspicion of a sexually motivated insult, a potential offense described in statements as Beleidigung auf sexueller Grundlage
or investigated by the criminal department on suspicion of sexual harassment.
Cologne police spokesman Christoph Bermel acknowledged that law enforcement agencies face an unprecedented situation with the case. We have not been aware of this phenomenon so far,
Bermel told The Associated Press, describing the incident as new territory for us.
Police Issue Warnings Over Social Media
Following widespread online circulation of the footage, Cologne police issued warnings regarding inappropriate digital responses. Officers utilized their official Facebook account to criticize online commentary, warning that some social media comments on the case can be a crossing of the line and in the worst case, a criminal offense.
Authorities cautioned that sharing, joking about, or mocking such incidents can significantly worsen the emotional impact on the victim.