Police in Malaysia have arrested five men accused of targeting gay men through fake Grindr profiles as part of a series of robberies.
Authorities say the suspects used the dating app to arrange meetings with at least nine victims between January and May this year, before allegedly carrying out coordinated assaults and thefts.
According to police, one suspect would pose as a date and meet victims in public. Another accomplice, pretending to be a security guard, would then confront them and accuse them of engaging in “indecent acts.”
Victims were then allegedly assaulted and forced to hand over cash, jewellery and debit cards.
Police say the suspects also allegedly obtained victims’ PIN numbers in order to withdraw money from their accounts.
The group, aged between 21 and 28, were arrested in Johor and were reportedly found in possession of items believed to belong to the victims.
Three of the men have been charged with robbery causing hurt, while two others have agreed to act as prosecution witnesses.
It has also been reported that the five suspects had previous records for robbery and drug-related offences, though drug tests conducted after their arrests came back negative.
Police are now seeking another local man who they believe may be able to assist with the investigation.
The case has raised renewed concern about the safety risks faced by LGBTQ+ people using dating apps in countries where same-sex activity remains criminalised or heavily stigmatised, making victims more vulnerable to blackmail, violence and under-reporting.
