Central Coast teens arrested for allegedly robbing men from dating apps

Police have charged four teens who allegedly set up dates with men on a dating app before bashing and robbing them on the NSW Central Coast.

Four teens have been charged with allegedly luring gay men to meetings and then bashing and robbing them on the Central Coast.

A number of teens have been charged over an alleged series of violent assaults and robberies on the Central Coast after three men were lured to meetings through a dating app before being bashed.

NSW Police will allege four male teenagers were involved in multiple attacks in late March and early April this year.

Each man allegedly attacked believed they were meeting someone for a date – organised on Grindr – and instead found a group waiting to ambush them.

Grindr is a location-based online dating app primarily used by men.

After attending at the locations, the men were allegedly seriously assaulted and robbed of belongings.

The attacks prompted police to launch Strike Force Linwood, with officers from Brisbane Water Police District leading the investigation into the alleged attacks.

Grindr is a popular location-based online dating app primarily used by men.

The first of the arrests came on March 23, when police stopped a car in Terrigal before two teens aged 17 and 15 were taken to Gosford police station,

The 15 year old was charged with affray, aggravated robbery causing bodily harm, participating in a criminal group, being a passenger in a stolen vehicle, and driving a stolen vehicle.

Gosford Police Station.

He appeared in court on March 28, and was given strict conditional bail to appear in court again on May 15.

The older of the pair was charged with affray, aggravated robbery causing bodily harm, and driving a stolen vehicle.

The 17-year-old appeared in court on March 28 and was granted conditional bail to return on April 7.

However, on April 6, he was arrested again at Bateau Bay and charged with breaching bail, armed robbery, and participating in a criminal group.

The four teens have been charged over the alleged assaults and robberies. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

He was refused bail and ordered to reappear on May 16.

Following further inquiries, police carried out raids on two homes in Wamberal and Terrigal on April 23.

They seized several items and arrested two more boys, both aged 16.

One 16-year-old was charged with aggravated robbery causing bodily harm and participating in a criminal group.

The other teenager faces three counts of affray, two counts of aggravated robbery causing bodily harm, participating in a criminal group, and failing to comply with an order to unlock digital evidence.

Both were refused bail and were due to face court today.

NSW Police have notified the Engagement and Hate Crime Unit and are working closely with LGBTQ+ advocacy groups to promote safety around the use of dating apps.