German authorities have initiated an inquiry into potential sexual misconduct following an incident where a robot controlled by two young men allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl’s buttocks and made suggestive movements towards her, as reported by the police.
The incident occurred in the city of Cologne over the weekend, prompting a response from law enforcement. The individuals involved, a 16-year-old suspected owner of the robot and his 19-year-old companion, purportedly filmed the incident and streamed it online.
Although the two male teenagers have not been formally charged, they are considered suspects in the case. Investigators are currently exploring whether the robot’s actions were pre-programmed or being controlled in real-time.
This type of occurrence was unfamiliar to the Cologne police, with spokesman Christoph Bermel stating that it was a new experience for them. Emergency responders discovered the robot in a vehicle near a fast-food establishment and confiscated it, along with the young men’s mobile phones.
Described as nearly four feet tall, the robot was attired in a white tank top, black sweatpants, accessorized with a gold chain and sunglasses, and even sported a faux mustache. Video footage circulating online depicts the robot being guided by the two men towards a group of women on a bustling nighttime street, where it engaged in inappropriate behavior before being reined in by one of the individuals.
The police, via their Facebook account, condemned inappropriate reactions to the incident and cautioned against sharing or making light of such events due to their detrimental impact on potential victims.