The 16-year-old was enjoying a fishing trip with friends when he accidentally lost the device over the side of the boat.
After the angling club refused to let him use his diving suit to retrieve the device, the boy came up with the bizarre idea of draining the pond.
The teen sneaked back later in the night with a powerful pump and two hoses, 'mirror.Co.Uk' reported.
"I thought two pumps would drain enough of the water from the pond so I could find my cellphone," he told a local paper in Cologne.
The boy tried to direct the water into the angling club toilet but failed to notice that the toilet wasn't attached to a sewage system.
When the owner arrived to a flooded car park he quickly found the cause and called police.
The boy was ordered to pay for the damage to the toilet, the clean-up operation and the water to refill the pond.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
