Group of robbers who used dating apps to lure victims jailed
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A group of five men who used dating apps such as Grindr to lure victims to a location before violently assaulting them and stealing their belongings have been jailed, West Midlands Police said. Demalji Hadza, 21, Abubaker Alezawy, 21, Ali Hassan, 20, Wasim Omar, 24, and Mohammed Sharif, 22, lured victims under the pretence they were meeting a legitimate person before they were assaulted and had their belongings stolen.
Over the course of 10 months, the group conspired, planned and committed robberies across Birmingham resulting in the theft of more than £100,000. Police said they carried out the offences at Golden Hillock Park, in South Birmingham and in Derby city centre between 2023 and 2024.
The group appeared at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday where they were handed sentences ranging from 12 to 17 years. Hadza was sentenced to 16 years and two months, Alezawy 16 years and five months, Hassan 16 years and nine months, Omar 17 years and three months and Sharif 12 years and three months.
Hadza and Alezawy pleaded guilty on day two of the trial, according to police, while Hassan, Omar and Sharif were found guilty on 17 September last year, following a six-week trial. The group used dating apps such as Grindr to convince users they would be meeting up with a legitimate person. They would then be trapped before being violently assaulted and having their belongings stolen.
While being held for hours, their phones were used to transfer large sums of money out of their bank accounts. Vehicles, house keys, wallets and identification documents were also stolen, and victims were often threatened with large weapons before being left stranded.
