German police seize humanoid robot in Cologne after it allegedly groped a 16-year-old girl and made sexually suggestive gestures, sparking questions about criminal responsibility when machines are involved.
The incident unfolded on Oct. 10 shortly before midnight near a fast-food restaurant along a busy nightlife corridor in Cologne, according to a police statement released Monday.
Videos posted online appear to show the teen standing with two friends, ages 17 and 18, when a red-and-gold robot about 4 feet tall, dressed in athletic wear, approaches from behind. Police said, and the clips appear to show, the robot touching the girl’s buttocks and repeatedly making thrusting motions toward her.
The robot’s 16-year-old owner and a 19-year-old companion are believed to have recorded and livestreamed the encounter while offering commentary on social media, authorities said.
Officers responding to reports of the incident soon located the two young men nearby. The robot had already been placed in the trunk of a Volkswagen. Police seized the machine along with both suspects’ smartphones as evidence.
German outlets have identified the device as a commercially available humanoid model priced around 5,000 euros, roughly 5,600 dollars.
One person involved later claimed on TikTok that the robot accidentally bumped a woman while trying to avoid another passerby. Longer videos circulating online, however, appear to show the device making sexually suggestive movements after the initial contact.
German police seize humanoid robot as probe examines control and accountability
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and online recordings to reconstruct what happened. They aim to determine whether the robot was controlled remotely, whether its movements were preprogrammed, or whether it acted autonomously, police said.
The case raises unusual legal issues. Under German law, sexual harassment typically requires direct physical contact between people. Legal experts told local media that the use of a robot could complicate efforts to charge the owners under current harassment statutes.
Instead, police are investigating on suspicion of a sexually motivated insult. Authorities are also considering possible violations related to the unauthorized publication of images.
No charges have been filed against either suspect so far.
The case underscores emerging challenges for law enforcement as more capable humanoid robots become accessible to private users, raising new questions about accountability when machines are used in potentially criminal behavior.
