Three men were arrested in Woodstock, suspected of involvement in a series of robberies targeting gay men on Grindr.
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These arrests follow the assault and robbery of two men, aged 45 and 50, just days apart in Cape Town.
On 14 June, a 50-year-old man was abducted after Hawks detectives investigated irregular banking activities and tracked the suspects to a Woodstock house.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani stated, ‘It is reported that on 14 June at about 7pm, the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team received information regarding a kidnapping. Upon receiving the information, analysis was made and linking the information to suspicious banking activities and transfer patterns by the suspects to various banks. This led the team to tracking the hostage’s phone which was active in the Woodstock area.’
Earlier, on 11 June, a 45-year-old man who had turned to the dating app after losing his spouse was ambushed by two suspects in Bo-Kaap. He was strangled, tied up, stripped, and filmed. The robbers, armed with a gun and knife, threatened to kill him and stole R3 000 after forcing him to call his sister.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani confirmed the arrest of three suspects aged 33 to 37 but did not confirm their involvement in the Grindr scam.
Joseph Swartbooi, a police spokesperson, said the 11 June incident is still under investigation.
‘According to reports the complainant, a male aged 45, met an unknown male at an identified premises in Shortmarket Street, Bo-Kaap on Tuesday 11 June, 2024. They were joined by two unknown armed males who assaulted the complainant and robbed him of an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects tied the victim and fled the scene. The victim managed to untie himself and reported the matter to the police for further investigation. Cape Town Central police registered a case of robbery with a firearm for further investigation.’
U-Watch Woodstock Neighbourhood Watch alerted residents about the scam on Facebook, praising the Hawks’ efforts but noting no evidence that the criminals were from Woodstock.
‘Please be aware of the scam that may have dangerous or deadly circumstances. What is positive is that the Hawks may have caught these scammers in Woodstock. Note there is no evidence to indicate that these criminals are from Woodstock.’
The Triangle Project, advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights, warned of increasing incidents targeting the community via dating apps. Communications officer Ling Sheperd emphasised the vulnerability of LGBTQIA+ individuals due to social stigma and the fear of being outed, classifying these crimes as hate crimes.
‘Perpetrators often exploit the social stigma and potential fear of outing that LGBTQIA+ individuals may face, making them more vulnerable to such attacks. These incidents are not only robberies but are often considered hate crimes due to the targeting based on sexual orientation and gender identity.’
Sheperd provided safety tips for internet daters: ‘Meet in public places. Always arrange first meetings in well-populated, public areas like cafés or parks.
‘Tell someone, inform a trusted friend or family member about your plans, including who you are meeting, where, and at what time. Verify profiles, cautious of profiles with limited information or that seem too good to be true. Use reverse image searches to check profile photos.’
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Picture: Grindr / Facebook