A Washington state man was held hostage and robbed by a woman he had met for the first time via a dating app.
The 30-year-old reported the crime to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Saturday, claiming he’d matched with a 19-year-old woman on the Canadian dating app Plenty of Fish. He met her in a Parkland apartment complex when, moments later, an armed man, 22, entered the apartment and ordered that the other man undress and hand over his money, according to the sheriff’s office. Meanwhile, the woman took nude photos of the victim.
Three hours passed with the victim held hostage with the pair while they attempted to transfer $6,000 from his bank account to theirs. Every transaction and app they tried was flagged as fraudulent. Finally, they released the victim but threatened to share his nude photos if he reported the crime to anyone.
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The victim went on to use social media to try to identify the suspects to the sheriff’s deputies. On Sunday, officers were called to a domestic dispute at the same apartment where the alleged theft took place. Officers recognized both suspects and arrested them after a brief incident in which the male suspect attempted to reach a gun he had in his possession.
Video surveillance from the rear of the patrol car captured the male victim breaking the interior door panel and seat belt in an attempt to escape. As a result, the patrol car is inoperable. This suspect was discovered to have multiple felony charges, including a juvenile conviction for robbery in the first degree, convictions for assault in the second degree, residential burglary, and unlawful possession of a firearm as an adult. He was also on parole at the time of the crime.
“We encourage everyone to review our online dating safety tips to help lessen your chance of becoming a victim,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department wrote in a Facebook post. “We also encourage parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of meeting people online. Always do your research and trust your instinct.”
Now, the male suspect faces charges of robbery in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree, extortion in the first degree, unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree, and malicious mischief in the first degree. His bail was set at $125,000.
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His female companion was charged with robbery in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree, and extortion in the first degree with a $50,000 bail.
