More than 30 people have been arrested in Melbourne over a series of targeted attacks in which men were lured through dating apps, then assaulted, robbed, and subjected to homophobic abuse.
Victoria Police say the offenders—mostly males aged between 13 and 20—created fake profiles on dating apps to lure victims into meeting them.
Once the victims arrived, they were allegedly ambushed, assaulted, threatened, and subjected to homophobic slurs.
Some of the attacks were filmed and circulated on social media.
These incidents occurred across several Melbourne suburbs, including Manningham, Casey, Hume, Moorabbin, and Knox.
Acting Superintendent Carolyn Deer urged dating app users to protect their identity and location online, and to verify identities before meeting others in person.
She emphasized that reporting abuse through the app alone is not sufficient, and victims should contact police directly.
Superintendent Deer condemned the attacks, describing them as “distressing” and saying such behavior “will not be tolerated.”
Since October, police have arrested more than 30 suspects, including three boys aged 13, 14, and 15, who allegedly kidnapped and robbed a man.
Several others, aged 14 to 17, have been charged with offences including reckless injury, armed robbery, and false imprisonment.
Victoria Police reaffirmed their commitment to the safety of LGBTIQA+ communities and are continuing investigations into the attacks.
