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Police in Cologne, Germany, are investigating an incident where a robot allegedly groped a 16-year-old girl. Two teenage boys are suspected of controlling the device and live-streaming the event.
Police in Germany have launched an investigation into possible sexual assault after a robot controlled by two teenage boys allegedly grinded against a 16-year-old girl and touched her buttocks. The incident occurred in the city of Cologne in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia late on Sunday night, Oct. 11.
According to the North Rhine-Westphalia Police Cologne (NRWPC), the alleged attack took place outside a fast-food restaurant between 11:45 p.m. and midnight local time. The victim was with female friends aged 17 and 18 at the corner of Palmstrasse and Hohenzollernring when the robot approached her from behind.
The robot, described as approximately 1.20 meters (120 cm) high, allegedly "made thrusting motions against her," according to a press release from the NRWPC. Authorities stated that the 16-year-old owner of the robot and his 19-year-old companion filmed the alleged attack and live-streamed it on social media.
Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, where they located the suspects at the corner of Magnusstrasse and Hohenzollernring. Police discovered the robot in the trunk of a Volkswagen. The NRWPC stated that the 16-year-old suspect, identified as being from Wegberg, had previously placed the device in the vehicle.
Authorities seized the robot and mobile phones belonging to the two suspects. The criminal investigation department is examining the situation on suspicion of sexual harassment. A key focus of the inquiry is determining the nature of the robot's operation during the incident.
"The criminal investigation department is now examining how the robot was functioning at the time of the incident and whether someone was deliberately controlling its movements," the NRWPC said.
The NRWPC shared a photo of the robot, which resembles the comic book character Iron Man. The device is red and gold, wearing a white tank top, black pants, a gold chain, and sunglasses. According to The Times, the device appears to be a Chinese-made Unitree R1 Air.
Video footage circulating online shows a robot dressed in a white vest with a gold chain and sunglasses approaching women on the streets and making sexually-explicit gestures. The victim and suspects have not been publicly identified.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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