the robot approached the girl from behind
German police have seized a humanoid robot and launched an investigation after it was allegedly used to grope a 16-year-old girl in Cologne.
Officers seized the 120cm (3.9ft) red and gold robot after it allegedly grabbed the girl’s buttocks and made thrusting motions against her. The girl reportedly screamed and moved away from the device.
North Rhine-Westphalia Police said the robot’s 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion are believed to have livestreamed the incident on social media and commented on it.
According to a police statement on Facebook, the robot approached the girl from behind close to midnight local time on Saturday.
She was with friends outside a fast-food outlet near the city centre when the incident occurred.
Emergency services were alerted, and police found the two suspects a block away a short time later. The robot was discovered in the back of a car, where the teenage owner had placed it.
A photograph released by police showed the robot wearing a black moustache, a gold-coloured chain and a white vest.
Officers also seized two mobile phones belonging to the suspects as part of their investigation. They are examining whether someone deliberately controlled the robot’s movements during the alleged incident.
In a follow-up Facebook post, police warned that some social media comments about the case “can be a crossing of the line and in the worst case, a criminal offence”.
Investigators are analysing surveillance footage and online recordings to reconstruct the sequence of events.
They also hope to establish whether the robot was controlled remotely, followed programmed movements or acted independently.
The case raises questions about how existing German laws apply when a robot is allegedly used to sexually harass someone.
Under German law, the criminal offence of sexual harassment generally requires direct physical contact between people. Legal experts said that using a robot could therefore complicate efforts to prosecute its owners under existing harassment laws.
Instead, police are investigating the case on suspicion of a sexually motivated insult. They may also examine possible violations involving the unauthorised publication of images.
The investigation will help establish how the robot was operated and whether the suspects can be held criminally responsible for its alleged actions.
