Hamilton police say they have arrested three youths in connection with two armed robberies that took place early on Friday, August 23.
Officers say the youths created a fake profile on Grindr, a popular gay dating app, and set up a meeting with a 20-year-old man who was then lured out of his apartment building at 2:00 a.m.
When the man showed up to meet his date, it is alleged that he was attacked by the three youths and held at gunpoint.
Police say the group stole the victim’s phone and “used it to make a financial transaction.”
Investigators say another victim was also robbed earlier that day.
Police allege that around midnight the same trio robbed a 26-year-old man who they met “randomly” on the street. The group forced the man to lead them back to his apartment where they allegedly stole a gaming console.
Both robberies occurred in the area of Concession Street and East 36th Street in Hamilton.
In a statement to CityNews Toronto, police said, “neither victim sustained physical injuries requiring hospitalization, however this was a traumatic experience.”
The youths have been charged with two counts of robbery with a firearm.
In a statement to CityNews, a Grindr spokesperson said they respond to and cooperate with law enforcement to aid in their investigations of incidents and strongly encourage users to report any suspicious behavior on the app.
“Grindr has always taken its role as a connector for the queer community very seriously and is committed to creating a safe environment for our users. Like any social networking and dating platform, there may be instances where bad actors attempt to misuse its features, potentially putting users at risk. To support our community, we regularly publish and update a Holistic Security Guide and user safety tips on our website,” read their statement.
With files from The Canadian Press.
