German Police Seize Humanoid Robot After It Allegedly Gropes 16-Year-Old Girl as Two Men Face Investigation

German police have seized a humanoid robot after it allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl inappropriately in Cologne. Investigators are examining whether two suspects deliberately controlled the machine during the incident, which was reportedly recorded and livestreamed on social media.

Police said the incident occurred between 11.45pm and midnight on the night of 10–11 October outside a fast-food restaurant at the junction of Palmstraße and Hohenzollernring, a busy nightlife street in the western German city. They announced the seizure on 12 October.

Videos Appear To Show Inappropriate Contact

The red-and-gold humanoid robot, approximately 1.2 metres tall, allegedly approached the teenager from behind as she stood with two friends aged 17 and 18.

According to Cologne police, the machine touched the girl's buttocks and made repeated thrusting movements against them. Its 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion allegedly filmed, livestreamed and commented on the encounter.

The robot was dressed in a white vest and black tracksuit bottoms, with a gold chain and sunglasses. It also appeared to have a fake moustache.

Associated Press described online videos showing two young men accompanying the robot towards a group of women, with the machine bumping into one and hugging others. One of the men repeatedly shouted at the robot and pulled it backwards after it made sexual gestures, prompting laughter among people nearby.

One of the individuals later claimed on TikTok that the robot had accidentally collided with a woman while attempting to avoid another passer-by, according to CBS News. However, the broadcaster reported that longer recordings circulating online appeared to show sexually suggestive movements after the contact.

Police Seize Robot and Mobile Phones

Officers responding to the incident located those involved nearby, at the junction of Magnusstraße and Hohenzollernring. Police said the robot's owner, a 16-year-old boy from Wegberg, had placed the machine inside the boot of a Volkswagen before officers arrived.

Authorities seized the robot and two mobile phones belonging to the suspects as evidence.

German media reports put the machine's price at approximately €5,000, equivalent to around £4,300.

Cologne police spokesperson Christoph Bermel told AP that investigators were examining whether the robot's movements had been preprogrammed or controlled in real time. Neither suspect had been charged at the time of the report.

'We have not been aware of this phenomenon so far,' Bermel said, describing the case as 'new territory for us'.

Investigation Raises Legal Questions

The case presents unusual questions under German law because the alleged contact involved a machine rather than direct physical contact by a person.

Cologne police said they were investigating on suspicion of Beleidigung auf sexueller Grundlage, which can be translated as a sexually motivated insult.

Legal experts speaking to German broadcaster RTL said the involvement of a robot could complicate a prosecution under existing sexual-harassment provisions, CBS News reported.

The investigation has not established whether either suspect deliberately directed the alleged contact. Police are examining how the machine operated at the time, alongside the seized phones and available recordings.

Police Warn Against Making Light of Incident

The alleged livestream and subsequent circulation of footage have also drawn attention to how the encounter was shared and discussed online.

In a Facebook post on 13 October, Cologne police criticised inappropriate comments about the incident. Officers warned that sharing or joking about such encounters could worsen the impact on a victim, according to AP.

The warning addressed the public response separately from the unresolved question of who controlled the robot. Both teenagers remain suspects, and no finding of criminal responsibility has been made.