DORTMUND, Oct 11 — ‘Cookie Monster’ was caught speeding by German police as traffic camera snapped images of the Sesame Street resident barreling down the highway at 60mph (96.5km/h) in an Audi hatchback.

Police are now looking for the driver of the vehicle who was dressed in a costume of the character who they say deliberately sped past the camera, hoping for a snapshot for memories.

Cookie Monster was was traveling 10mph (16km/h) over the speed limit - and police said the incident could have quickly turned fatal — not only due to speeding, but having limited vision wearing such a costume.

The driver could be fined up to €100 (RM469) between two infractions — speeding and wearing a mask.

Police spokesperson Peter Bandermann said in a statement, "The fun of wearing a mask from the Muppet Show can quickly turn serious.

"It won't help the relatives of a person who has been killed if the person who did it tearfully regrets their mask fun in court.”

The vehicle was found to have been registered to a 57-year-old man from Hagen, but it wasn't immediately clear if he was the driver, reported The Sun.

Cookie Monster was created in 1969 for Sesame Street by puppeteer Jim Henson and voiced for years by Frank Oz, who famously also voices Yoda in several installments of the Star Wars franchise.