3 youths arrested for armed robbery after targeting man on gay dating app: police

Hamilton police say they have arrested three youths in connection with two armed robberies that took place early on Friday, Aug. 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 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.”

According to investigators, another victim was also attacked 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, police said, “Neither victim sustained physical injuries requiring hospitalization. However, this was a traumatic experience.”

A spokesperson for Grindr said the company would cooperate with law enforcement to aid in their investigations and strongly encourages users to report any suspicious behaviour on the app. However, the spokesperson fell short of explaining what the company is doing to secure the safety of users on its platform.

When asked for specific details about the types of digital tools the company uses to verify its user’s identity, the spokesperson said, “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.”

“We strongly encourage users to report any suspicious behavior and utilize our video calling feature to verify connections before meeting in person,” the spokesperson added.

The youths, in this case, have been charged with two counts of robbery with a firearm. Their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).

Police say they are not pursuing hate crime charges at this time but will weigh all options as they continue their investigation.

With files from The Canadian Press.