Five teenage males have been arrested and charged after police alleged men were lured through dating apps and social media before being assaulted, threatened and robbed in Melbourne’s south-east.
Victoria Police said the accused, aged between 16 and 18 and from the Greater Dandenong area, were linked to 11 reported incidents. The allegations have not been tested in court, and each accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Charges follow 11 reported incidents
The five males were arrested last week as part of an investigation into attacks police described as homophobic. They face various charges that include armed robbery and intentionally causing injury.
Police said three of the teenagers were charged with sexual assault offences, while one was charged with kidnapping. Authorities have not publicly identified the accused, several of whom are minors.
Investigators allege groups posed as genuine users of online dating platforms to arrange meetings with men. According to police, victims were then assaulted, robbed, threatened and subjected to homophobic comments.
The investigation is not confined to the 11 incidents attributed to the latest group of accused. Police said they had received 113 reports of concerning attacks involving dating apps across Victoria since January 2024, resulting in 47 arrests.
Police urge victims to make direct reports
Acting Inspector Jarrod Dwyer said the alleged behaviour was serious and would not be tolerated. He acknowledged that the reported incidents would have been distressing for those involved and said the arrests demonstrated that police intended to hold alleged offenders accountable.
Police have urged anyone who experiences similar conduct to contact investigators rather than reporting the incident only to the relevant app. A platform complaint may help moderate an account, but a direct report gives police an opportunity to gather evidence and investigate a possible criminal offence.
Authorities stressed that there is no deadline imposed by police on a victim deciding when they are ready to report. People may also seek the assistance of a Victoria Police LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officer when making contact or accessing support.
Dating platforms assisting investigation
Victoria Police said investigators were working with selected dating apps and publishing safety messages that explain reporting options and available support. Detectives may request information from platforms during an investigation, including in circumstances where a user has blocked or deleted another account.
The allegations highlight a form of targeted offending in which ordinary features of social and dating services can allegedly be used to create a false sense of trust. Police advised users to consider telling a trusted person where they are going, meeting in a public place, arranging their own transport and remaining alert to sudden changes in location or unusual requests.
Those precautions do not shift responsibility from an alleged offender to a victim. Police have repeatedly said that people have a right to meet others and pursue relationships safely, and that responsibility for violence rests with those who commit it.
Cases now move through the courts
The charges begin a judicial process in which prosecutors must prove each allegation beyond reasonable doubt. The precise evidence against each accused, their individual alleged roles and the timetable for future hearings will be matters for the courts.
Investigators are continuing to examine reports from Greater Dandenong and elsewhere in Victoria. Anyone with immediate safety concerns should call triple zero. Information about non-urgent offending can be provided to Victoria Police or Crime Stoppers, while people affected by sexual violence can also seek confidential support from specialist services.
