Robot arrested in Germany: Police arrest humanoid robot accused of sexually harrasing a teen girl

German police have launched an investigation into suspected sexual harassment after a robot allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl’s buttocks and made thrusting movements towards her in Cologne, with two young men suspected of filming and streaming the incident online, AP reported.

The incident reportedly occurred overnight from Saturday to Sunday in the western German city. Police said the robot’s suspected 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion were allegedly involved in recording the episode and broadcasting it online while commenting on what was happening.

Cologne police spokesman Christoph Bermel told AP that the two men had not been charged but were being treated as suspects. Investigators were also examining whether the robot’s movements had been programmed in advance or controlled remotely in real time.


“We have not been aware of this phenomenon so far,” Bermel told AP, describing the case as “new territory for us.”

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Cologne police seize robot and mobile phones

Emergency teams sent to the scene near a fast-food restaurant found the robot inside the trunk of a vehicle, Cologne police said in a statement on Monday, according to AP. Officers confiscated the robot and the two men’s mobile phones as part of the investigation.

North Rhine-Westphalia Police Cologne shared an image of the robot on Facebook. The red-and-gold machine, reportedly measuring 120 centimetres (about 3 feet 11 inches) in height, was pictured lying on the ground.

The robot was wearing a white tank top, black sweatpants, a gold chain and sunglasses. It also appeared to have a fake moustache.

Videos show robot approaching women on Cologne street

Videos circulating online appear to show two young men escorting the robot towards a group of women on a busy street at night. The robot is seen bumping into one woman and hugging others.

In the footage, one of the men repeatedly shouts at the robot and pulls it backwards after it makes sexual gestures. People nearby can be heard laughing.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the incident, including whether the robot was operating autonomously according to preprogrammed instructions or responding to real-time controls.

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Police warn against inappropriate online reactions

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, police criticised inappropriate comments about the incident and warned that sharing or making jokes about such episodes could compound the harm experienced by a victim.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the two suspects have not been charged, AP reported.