Auckland police are investigating an incident in which it is understood a gay man was robbed, possibly with a weapon being involved, after hooking up with someone through Grindr. The latest robbery comes after a spate of violent assaults and robberies of gay men were carried out early last year in and around the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert. There is no record of any arrests being made following those attacks in which a machete was used. It has been suggested that the latest incident may be the work of a group of straight thieves who have created a Grindr profile to draw in gay or bi men.Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Newman of Auckland City Police has confirmed to GayNZ.com Daily News that the incident "appears linked to a connection made between parties through the social network app, Grindr." He says the police are "currently following lines of inquiry and therefore cannot provide specific information at this stage." Newman says anyone who uses dating or hook-up apps, like Grindr, should "be aware of their personal safety. If users are meeting someone from the app for the first time please ensure it is in a public place or that you are accompanied by a friend. "It’s important to plan ahead and be careful. Always tells a friend where you are going and who you are meeting up with, and ensure they have your contact details."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 27th April 2016 - 9:44am