ACT Police are investigating multiple incidents where three men have allegedly been assaulted by a group of people after they were lured to a location using a dating app.
One 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.
He was approached by four people outside the home who allegedly assaulted him, but he was able to flee on his motorbike soon after.
Police believe his helmet and gloves were stolen by the alleged offenders.
The man did not require hospitalisation, and provided a statement to police.
A second incident occurred about 2.30am on Saturday, July 20 after a man agreed to meet another man at a home on Investigator Street in Red Hill using the same dating app.
Police allege shortly after the man arrived at the home, a group of about eight men appeared and began assaulting him.
During the assault, the group allegedly shouted homophobic slurs at the victim, demanded money from him and attempted to take his wallet and keys.
The man was able to escape, but was allegedly pursued on foot by the group, who continued the assault in front of another home on Investigator Street, before the man was able to fight the group off on Discovery Street.
Following the incident, the group also allegedly damaged the man’s car.
The victim went to hospital about 1pm that day for treatment on injuries he received during the assault and reported the incident to police.
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 about 4am on July 20.
Police believe the three assaults could be linked and are urging people who meet others face-to-face for the first time via dating apps to meet in a public place such as a cafe, restaurant or shopping centre.
“We would encourage anyone who has information about these incidents in Denman Prospect and Red Hill, or any other similar incidents where people may have been targeted due to their sexual orientation, to come forward,” a police spokesperson said.
“Police would especially like to speak to anyone who lives 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 that captured the incidents.”