A 16-year-old girl was allegedly groped by a robot outside a fast-food restaurant in Cologne, Germany, in an incident that was reportedly filmed and livestreamed on social media. Police have seized the robot and the mobile phones of two teenagers suspected of recording the encounter and are investigating whether the machine was deliberately controlled to harass the girl.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, the incident took place around 11.45 pm on Sunday on Hohenzollernring, a busy street in central Cologne. The girl was standing outside a fast-food restaurant with her friends when a red-and-gold robot, measuring around 1.2 metres in height, allegedly approached her from behind. The encounter was reportedly filmed and streamed live on social media.

A Cologne Police spokesman said, “The device allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl’s buttocks and made thrusting motions against her.”

Investigators suspect that the robot’s 16-year-old owner, who is from Wegberg, and his 19-year-old companion filmed the incident and provided commentary as it unfolded.

After receiving a report, police reached the scene and found the robot inside the boot of a Volkswagen sedan belonging to the suspects. Officers subsequently seized the machine and the teenagers’ mobile phones as part of the investigation.

“Officers confiscated the robot and two mobile phones belonging to the suspects. The criminal investigation department is investigating suspicion of sexual harassment,” police said in a statement. 

The cops are examining how the robot operated at the time of the incident and whether its movements were controlled remotely. Investigators are also looking into whether the machine was deliberately manipulated to harass the girl.

The Cologne police have launched a criminal investigation on suspicion of sexual harassment. The investigation is ongoing.