Authorities are warning gay and bisexual men in Atlanta about a string of robberies targeting victims found through the popular gay dating app, Grindr.
The robberies “have shown a very concerning pattern,” according to the Atlanta Police Department.
On Wednesday, Sgt. Rodney Jones, who works in the APD robbery unit, said at a press conference that from February to May, “we’ve had eight instances where male victims were lured to remote locations by the use of the Grindr app.”
“The suspect would use the Grindr app to exchange and identify victims, trying to lure them to a dating location. After the date concludes, the suspect would then rob the victim, often taking wallet, keys, or even vehicles,” Jones said.
Most of the incidents have taken place in northwest Atlanta, but some have also occurred in the city’s southeastern quadrant.
Victims are typically taken to a remote location within that area, where the crime takes place.
The suspect “typically has a handgun” and the men go on a “normal date,” authorities said. “After the date concludes, they’ll just rob the person of their belongings.”
Investigators believe that one person is likely responsible for the crimes in northwest Atlanta. “In zone 3 (south and southeast) we’re dealing with possibly two more suspects.”
Officer Eric King said that there are a number of things people can do to protect themselves.
“Find a partner or a friend that you trust that you can notify when you’re going to meet somebody,” King, who’s APD’s LGBTQ liaison, said.
He also suggested potential dates to “meet at a grocery store. Meet at a public place before you reconvene somewhere more intimate.”
Anyone with information about the incidents are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, text information to 274637, or visit the Crime Stoppers website.
Tips can be submitted anonymously and can be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000.
Grindr is a location-based social networking and dating application that uses members’ GPS positions to chat with people nearby. Since it launched in 2009, the app became massively popular among gay and bisexual men in the U.S. and abroad.
As of December 2020, it had nearly 13 million monthly users worldwide.
