Police warning over cyber criminals – Grindr hook-up ups end in cars, cash, phones stolen

THE police are warning about criminals prowling social media and preying on people through fictitious items for sale or promises of a good time and budding romances.

Of particular concern is the emergence of crimes being committed against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBT+) community by criminals who create fake accounts on dating social media sites in order to lure their victims into a physical meeting which is usually followed by armed robbery, beatings or sexual assault.

Earlier this week, there were reports of two separate incidents in which men fell victim to criminals after meeting up on a popular dating website.

According to police reports, the two men were robbed of their valuables in separate incidents on the afternoon of November 20, after going to meet men whom they chatted with on the Grindr App – a social networking site for gay, bisexual, transsexual and queer people.

Police said that around 3 pm, a 22-year-old man from Santa Rosa, Arima met a man in Prince Street, Port of Spain.

The Port of Spain man man entered the other man's black Hyundai Santa Fe SUV and told him to drive on Prince Street and into an alley opposite Duncan Street.

He parked and the man told him to walk into the Plannings.

Six men, one with a gun, held the Arima man and robbed him of his Samsung S23 phone valued at $5,000 and the keys to his car.

The men told him he would need to pay an additional $5,000 for the return of his car. The suspects then walked away.

A few minutes later, the man walked to where he had parked his car only to find it was gone. The SUV was later found in the Dan Kelly, Laventille area around 6.15 pm.

An hour and 45 minutes later, another man from Montrose, Chaguanas went to Thomasine Street, Laventille to meet a man named Alex whom he had met through the Grindr app.

The 34-year-old man got out of his silver Subaru Impreza and walked along a track. Two men, one armed with a gun, came up to him.

The two searched the man's pockets taking the victim's Samsung Galaxy A52 valued at $2,700 and 100 in cash.

A third suspect joined the two and took the victim's car keys and drove along Thomasine Street. The two other suspects ran off.

The second victim's car is yet to be recovered. Police said investigations into both incidents.

These two robberies have added to the number of Grindr-related incidents this year.

On August 27, a Guyanese teacher hired a TT RideShare driver to carry him to Maraval to meet a man he met on Grindr. They were both robbed at gunpoint.

In July, a 19-year-old was sexually assaulted and robbed by someone he invited to his home.

In June, a Cocorite man was beaten, robbed and had his car stolen after meeting someone from Grindr. Another man was robbed of his car and cash after meeting a man at a guest house in Aranguez.

In May, a 26-year-old from Arima was beaten and robbed by five men during his lunch hour after visiting an apartment on Nelson Street, Port of Spain.

In May, former head of the police Special Victims Unit, Supt Claire Guy-Alleyne, issued a warning to the app’s users, urging members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBT+) community to exercise caution and conduct due diligence before meeting people.

Police sources told Newsday that criminals are specifically targeting the LGBT+ community for robbery and assault given the traditional hesitance by members of this section of society to make reports to and interact with the TTPS after they have fallen victim to crimes such as robbery or physical and/or sexual assault.

Sources said that the number of crimes against members of the LGBT+ community that go unreported may very well be much higher than those incidences reported to the police. As such, the police are warning people against blindly trusting anyone they meet over social media.

Police said that if a person still wants to meet with someone whom they have interacted with via social media, whether for romance or for some type of business transaction, such a meeting should be done in a public space where there is high activity such as in the car park of a mall, or even at a police station.

"The public should let basic common sense be their guide. Never meet up with a stranger from social media at nights and/or in a location where you are at risk of being overpowered and attacked. Meet in an open place where there are many people congregating," a police source said.

"Or in the case of meeting to conduct a business transaction such as the sale of a car, meet up in the car park of a police station. Criminals are opportunists so you should meet up in a manner that lessens the chances of you being overpowered and attacked," the source added. (
With reporting by ENRIQUE RUPERT)