Nine local men aged between 25 and 40 were injured and lost more than RM300,000 after being robbed in separate incidents involving a gang of men in Johor Baru.
Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the victims were targeted through a dating application or social networking platform linked to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
He said police received nine separate reports between January and May from victims who claimed they were robbed by a group of local suspects in incidents around Taman Pelangi and Kampung Majidee.
The total losses reported amounted to RM315,220, he added.
Ab Rahaman said the suspects used an application to lure victims into meeting them inside a car.
Once the victims were inside the vehicle, an accomplice would pose as a security guard and threaten them by accusing them of inappropriate behaviour in a public area.
The victims were then assaulted, while personal belongings such as bank cards, jewellery and cash were seized.
Police said the suspects also obtained victims’ bank card passwords before withdrawing money and purchasing gold items.
Acting on intelligence, police arrested five local suspects aged between 21 and 28 in Cameron Highlands on May 30.
Several items were seized during the operation, including mobile phones, a car, ATM cards, receipts for gold purchases and various pieces of gold jewellery.
Checks revealed that all suspects had prior criminal records involving robbery and drugs.
Investigations have been completed and three suspects will be charged under Section 394 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34, while two others will be called as prosecution witnesses.
