On a routine dog walk in Rostock, Germany, a passerby discovered what looked like a burnt human hand protruding from a plastic bag. The police swung into action, and authorities deployed forensic teams, homicide detectives, floodlights, and a 3D scanner to document the scene.

A drone was launched, and an undertaker was called in preparation for body removal. After more than five hours of examination, investigators found the supposed “human arm” was actually a next-generation sex doll, often referred to as a “real doll” for its lifelike appearance. The owner had attempted to burn the doll before throwing it away.

“All police measures were immediately terminated,” the police said in a statement to The Times. “The undertaker could fortunately be cancelled. The police would like to take this opportunity to ask people to dispose of their rubbish in the appropriate locations.”

“We can write this off as an exercise. Fortunately, we don’t get this every day,” a spokesperson said.

Similar cases have emerged across Germany in recent months. Days ago, police in Bingen mistook a life-sized doll on a bench for a corpse. Last week, a supposed body part found in a field in Bad Kreuznach turned out to be a discarded silicone backside.

In February, firefighters in Hanover retrieved what appeared to be a drowning victim from a canal – only to discover yet another abandoned sex doll.

The rise in such incidents coincides with a boom in sex doll sales, particularly AI-integrated models. Chinese adult toy manufacturer WMDolls has reported a 30 per cent surge in sales, attributing the growth to its integration of AI tools like ChatGPT, which allow dolls to engage in conversations and remember past interactions. Over 100 AI-powered prototypes have already been shipped to customers in North America and Europe.