ACT Police are investigating several incidents in which three men were allegedly assaulted by a group of people after they were lured to a location using a dating app.
A man who connected with a person on a dating app went to a home on Ada Norris Avenue in Denman Prospect on the morning of Tuesday, July 16.
Four people approached him outside the house and allegedly assaulted him, but he was able to flee on his motorcycle shortly after.
Police believe the alleged attackers stole his helmet and gloves.
The man did not require hospitalization and provided a statement to police.
A second incident occurred at around 2.30am on Saturday 20 July after a man arranged to meet another man at a house on Investigator Street in Red Hill using the same dating app.
Police say that shortly after the man arrived at the home, a group of about eight men showed up and began attacking him.
During the robbery, the group allegedly shouted homophobic insults at the victim, demanded money and attempted to take his wallet and keys.
Two of the incidents occurred outside the same house on Investigator Street in Red Hill on Saturday, July 20. Source: Google Maps
The man managed to escape, but was allegedly pursued on foot by the group, who continued the assault in front of another house on Investigator Street, before the man was able to fight off the group on Discovery Street.
Following the incident, the group also allegedly damaged the man’s car.
The victim went to the hospital around 1 p.m. that day to receive treatment for injuries he received during the assault and reported the incident to police.
Police are investigating three incidents in the Australian Capital Territory in which several men were allegedly lured to a location via a dating app and then assaulted by a group of people. Picture: Blake Foden
A third victim was allegedly assaulted by a group of five to eight people wearing face masks at the same address on Investigator Street in Red Hill hours later, at approximately 4am on July 20.
Police believe the three attacks could be linked and are urging people who meet people face-to-face for the first time through dating apps to meet in a public place, such as a cafe, restaurant or shopping centre.
“We encourage anyone with information about these incidents in Denman Prospect and Red Hill, or any other similar incidents where people may have been targeted because of their sexual orientation, to come forward,” a police spokesman said.
‘Police would particularly like to speak to anyone living in the area of Ada Norris Avenue, Denman Prospect or Investigator and Discovery Streets, Red Hill, who may have witnessed the incidents or who may have CCTV footage which captured the incidents.’