Milwaukee dating app crimes; city leaders urge caution

Leaders urge caution amid Milwaukee dating app crimes

The Milwaukee Police Department has seen a surge of robberies associated with dating apps, a news release from members of the Milwaukee Common Council said on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Police Department has seen a surge of robberies associated with dating apps, particularly among the LGBTQ+ community. That's according to a news release from members of the Milwaukee Common Council on Wednesday, Jan. 14. 

Dating app caution

What we know:

The release says the robberies generally involve the suspect setting a meet-up with the victim, and then robbing them or having other suspects there to commit the robbery.

Officials said it is worth a reminder that before meeting someone for the first time in person, you should be prepared. To assist, the MPD Public Information Office compiled a list of best practices for online dating.

Those tips include: 

• Always tell someone where you’re going and who you’re meeting
• Meet in a public place
• Don’t give out private information
• Stay sober

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People should also be aware of potential scams associated with online dating, officials said.

Staying vigilant

What they're saying:

Alderman Peter Burgelis said while dating-app-related crime is not new, it has become a more serious concern in Milwaukee in recent months.

"People need to be aware of what they are doing, who they are meeting," Burgelis said. "[There’s] a recent uptick in the number of robberies related to social dating apps."

Burgelis said police first began noticing the trend in September. In many cases, suspects arrange to meet victims through dating apps and then rob them either alone or with accomplices.

"They said specifically this has been an issue with predominantly LGBT people," Burgelis said.

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Milwaukee police have not released an exact number of reported incidents. Burgelis said officials believe many cases may go unreported.

"We can certainly assume there are far more incidents like this that haven’t been reported," he said.

Some former dating app users said the reports serve as a reminder to be cautious when meeting people online.

"I didn't really keep the app for that long – I just deleted it," said Prentrece Laster, who previously used dating apps. "Make sure they are not creepy. Make sure it's not a creep on there."