Police in Cologne probe a humanoid robot accused of touching a 16-year-old

Police in western Germany are trying to work out whether a person was steering a humanoid robot that allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl from behind on a Cologne street.

What police say happened

North Rhine-Westphalia police say the girl was standing with friends outside a fast-food restaurant shortly before midnight on Sunday. In a statement officers said the robot, which stands about 4 feet tall, came up behind her and touched her buttocks. Police say it also made thrusting movements toward her body.

Investigators believe the robot belongs to a 16-year-old boy. They say he and a 19-year-old friend recorded the encounter, broadcast it live on the internet and narrated as it played out.

The robot turned up in a car

A short time later officers found the two young men and the machine a few blocks away. Police say the younger suspect had already loaded the robot into the trunk of a Volkswagen.

Officers seized the robot along with a phone from each suspect. Police describe the case as a suspected sexual harassment investigation. They have not said whether anyone will face charges.