German police are on the lookout for a rather unusual suspect—a driver dressed as the iconic “Sesame Street” character Cookie Monster. This costumed driver was recently caught speeding in Dortmund, Germany, and now police are on the hunt to uncover the real identity behind the blue mask.
The bizarre incident occurred on September 20, when a speed camera on the A45 motorway, near Dortmund, captured the goggle-eyed Cookie Monster behind the wheel of an Audi. Going 11 kilometers per hour (kph) over the speed limit, the driver likely thought this stunt would make for a hilarious photo op. And while the image itself certainly caught the attention of social media, the German police aren’t finding the situation all that amusing.
Dortmund Police took to X (formerly known as Twitter) on October 8, sharing the photo of the masked driver and poking fun at the situation, saying: “Yes, of course… it’s totally funny to put a Cookie Monster mask over your head, drive along the A45 and get flashed.” But behind the jokes, the police made it clear there’s a serious side to this reckless behavior.
While the car was registered to a 57-year-old man in the city of Hagen, authorities still don’t know if he was the one behind the wheel. The identity of the driver remains a mystery, as the Cookie Monster mask has so far kept them incognito. However, the driver won’t stay anonymous for long—he (or she) is set to receive a letter from the traffic fines office, notifying them of a €40 fine for exceeding the speed limit.
What’s more alarming is the potential safety risk of this “masked fun.” The police pointed out that wearing a large costume mask, like Cookie Monster’s, can seriously limit a driver’s field of vision. Add in the possibility of driver distraction, and this stunt could have easily turned dangerous.
Peter Bandermann, a spokesperson for the Dortmund Police, stressed the gravity of the situation, warning that reckless behavior like this could lead to accidents—or worse. “It doesn’t help the relatives of a person killed if the person responsible tearfully regrets the masked fun in court,” he noted, highlighting the real-life consequences of such actions.
And while this particular case hasn’t led to any harm, it underscores a broader issue with driver distraction, which is one of the leading causes of accidents on German roads. Police are taking this as an opportunity to remind the public that even stunts meant to be funny can have dangerous outcomes.
In recent months, Germany has also ramped up its efforts to curb another disturbing trend—people posting photos or videos of car crashes online. Legislation approved in August criminalizes photographing or recording fatalities at crash sites, with violators facing fines up to €1,000 or even up to two years in prison. Authorities argue that not only does this violate the privacy of those involved, but it also hinders emergency responders from doing their jobs efficiently.
Cookie Monster bizarrely caught speeding on traffic cam — but cops were not amused https://t.co/ATeA5NaTo6 pic.twitter.com/Wz6XL97qcU
— New York Post (@nypost) October 9, 2024
So, while this Cookie Monster speedster may have gotten their laugh, German authorities are sending a clear message: there’s nothing funny about risking lives on the road, even if you’re dressed like your favorite blue, cookie-loving character.
