By Genevieve Serra 
Jun 29, 2021
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Cape Town – A 23-year-old student wants to warn gay men about an alleged fraudster and thief, who he met through a dating app, who robbed him of his cellphone and jewellery.
The man, who asked not to be identified, opened a case with police after the incident took place last week. Police have since confirmed they have yet to make an arrest.
The young man told Weekend Argus that he had allegedly been lured through a gay dating app, known as Grindr. He is now determined to warn others, after being contacted by more alleged victims.
This was after he and a friend took to social media groups on Facebook, sharing the man’s photograph, who identified himself as “Eugene”, to alert the public.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed that a case of robbery was under investigation and that the man had been lured through a dating site.
“This office can confirm that Athlone police are investigating a robbery of a cellular telephone and jewellery, which was perpetrated on June 22, at 11pm, in Duinefontein Road, Heideveld.
“The victim met the suspect on a dating website and he was robbed by the male suspect after the two met in person. No one has been arrested yet,” said Traut.
The man befriended the suspect a month ago and met him face-to-face two weeks ago.
“He said he is from Goodwood, and in the closet, and was a mechanic,” said the victim.
“We eventually moved our conversation to WhatsApp and I believed I could trust him because I did not pick up anything suspicious or sinister. We arranged to meet on June 18,” said the victim.
The man said the first meeting went well and they arranged to see each other for a second time – that is when the robbery took place.
He said the suspect had picked up an accomplice, who held him at gunpoint.
“We decided to meet on June 18 and he fetched me at campus,” he said.
“We were only in one another’s presence for about 30 minutes, when he said he needed to leave as something came up.
“I didn’t pick up any bad vibes. We met again on June 22. We drove for a short distance from the campus, when he picked up a friend who claimed he was stranded. I immediately knew something was wrong.
“I just felt the friend cocking his firearm and I felt the gun against my head. He said I must give him everything I have. I was in the front passenger seat and the other suspect was in the back seat,” said the victim.
After handing over his items, the young man was forced out of the car and managed to get help from his friends.
He later posted the man’s photograph on social media and was contacted by more victims.
“Eugene told me to get out and he shoved me out, and it was dark and I was somewhere on Duinefontein Road,” he said.
“I managed to get back to campus on foot and told my friends what happened.
“I opened a case with the police and placed his photograph on social media groups on Facebook, with the help of my friends,” said the victim.
He claims the suspect began threatening him after the posts were made.
“I had called my cellphone, which he had kept on, and I told him he was going to be caught. More victims came forward recognising him.
“He began to threaten me that he was going to kill my family and I. I told him that I am going to make the public aware of what he is doing,” added the victim.
The Weekend Argus attempted to speak to another victim, but received no response.