Burglars used Grindr to meet and target victims in ‘callous’ phone-swiping operation
Police said the two men used Grindr to meet and target victims before meeting them at their homes and stealing their phones as part of a series of “callous, calculated and pre-planned offences”.
Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 22, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 21, had started chatting on the dating app before arranging to meet the “unsuspecting” men at their homes.
There the pair would use a series of “distraction tactics” to gain access to the phones before making a quick getaway, often accessing bank accounts on the phones to make payments and withdraw money.
Those found guilty of burglary, fraud and theft at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday will be sentenced at a later date.
The Metropolitan Police said it launched an investigation after reports of multiple phone thefts across the capital, with all victims targeted in the same way.
Mohammadi and Hotak would connect with the men on Grindr, initiate conversations, and arrange to meet them at their homes. Once there, police said, they discovered the mobile phone passwords before stealing the mobile phones and quickly exiting the property, usually using a getaway vehicle waiting nearby.
The couple will then access the victim’s personal data to make payments, withdraw money, or transfer money to other accounts. In some cases, they could also steal other high-value items such as wallets, passports and watches.
Inspector Owen Renowden, the Met’s hate crime lead who oversaw the investigation, said he “welcomed” the conviction and added that the Met was “fully committed to ensuring all communities in London feel safe”.
“Mohammadi and Hotak carried out a series of callous, calculated, pre-planned crimes across London, targeting unsuspecting men and leading to the theft of high-value items and cash, and I welcome today’s outcome in court,” he said.
“As well as the victims who showed great strength throughout our investigation, I would also like to recognize the Met’s LGBT+ Advisory Group and LGBT+ anti-abuse charity GALOP for ensuring we carried out our work with sensitivity and care.
“The Met is committed to ensuring that all communities in London feel safe, as well as continuing to increase the trust that LGBT+ people place in us. Organized crime has a devastating impact on society and will simply not be tolerated.”
