Police Investigate Robot Allegedly Groping Teen in Cologne

German police have initiated an investigation into a suspected sexual assault involving a robot that allegedly groped a 16-year-old girl in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. The incident took place late on a Sunday night between 11.45 p.m. and midnight while the girl was outside a fast-food restaurant with friends aged 17 and 18.

The robot, approximately 1.2 metres tall, was owned by a 16-year-old boy who was accompanied by a 19-year-old male companion. According to police reports, the robot approached the girl from behind and allegedly touched her buttocks.

The two suspects filmed the incident and livestreamed it on social media. Emergency services responded to the scene, where they located the alleged assailants and discovered the robot in the trunk of a vehicle.

Authorities have since seized the robot and the mobile phones of the suspects as part of their ongoing investigation.