A teenage girl was sexually assaulted by a robot on a German street in the middle of the night, with the incident broadcast live on social media.

Police have seized the robot and are investigating whether its owner, a teenager, operated the machine with the intent to commit sexual assault.

According to German police, at around 11:45 p.m. on the 10th (local time), a 1.2-meter-tall robot approached a 16-year-old female from behind in front of a fast-food restaurant in downtown Cologne, touching her body and pushing against her.

Police determined that a 19-year-old male who was with the robot's owner, also 16, filmed the act of harassment and broadcast it live via social media.

Responding to the report, police searched the trunk of the suspects' Volkswagen sedan and found the robot dressed in a sleeveless shirt and sweatpants, prompting an investigation into charges of sexual insult.

Police stated that they have seized both the robot and the suspects' mobile phones to verify how the robot was operated at the time and whether the suspects intentionally controlled it.

(Photo courtesy of YouTube TarekderGorillaYT) (Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Kim Na-on | Graphics by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News)