Trio to face charges for using dating app to rob, assault 9 men

PETALING JAYA: Three men are set to face charges after using a dating application for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community to rob and assault nine men in Johor Bahru, causing RM315,220 in losses.

Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said the group used the app to target their victims, and would set up individual dates with them after picking them up in a car, Berita Harian reported.

“When the victim and the suspect were in the car, an accomplice posing as a security guard would appear and accuse the victim of committing indecent acts in a public area.

“The victim would then be assaulted and have his personal belongings taken, including his debit card, jewellery and cash. The suspect and his accomplice would then obtain his debit card password to withdraw money from his account, before releasing the victim,” he said.

Rahaman said nine police reports from different victims aged 25 to 40 were lodged from January to May, with the robberies committed around the Taman Pelangi and Kampung Majidee areas.

He said five suspects aged 21 to 28 were initially arrested at Brinchang in the Cameron Highlands. Police seized several handphones, a car, five debit cards, four gold chains, four pairs of earrings, two gold rings and two gold bangles from them.

Checks found that all five suspects had criminal records for robberies and narcotics offences.

Rahaman said the investigation papers have been completed and referred to the deputy public prosecutor, who agreed to charge three of them with causing hurt while committing a robbery under Section 394 of the Penal Code.

The other two suspects will act as prosecution witnesses.