A man has been arrested as part of an investigation into a series of burglaries in which thieves who met men on gay dating app Grindr drugged victims and stole their valuables.
The Metropolitan Police said a 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary after arriving at Gatwick Airport on Thursday. He was taken to a south London police station where he remains.
Detectives said there have been four reported burglaries in which two suspects are believed to have administered a noxious substance in order to commit thefts in Brentford and Hounslow in west London, Hampton in south-west London and Bromley in south-east London between New Year’s Eve and January 9.
The two suspects were identified by police last month as a large black man and a slimmer white man who both spoke Spanish. Police believed in January that both men had fled the country. It is understood that the arrested suspect is one of these men.
The force said the second suspect is still at large. According to detectives, four male victims aged between 32 and 55, were drugged and rendered unconscious before waking to find several of their personal belongings missing.
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Each victim suffered no lasting effects, police said. The force added that the two suspects worked together and separately to identify their victims on Grindr.
Police issued an appeal in January for more victims who have fallen prey to the pair to come forward and report the crimes to the police. Detective Superintendent Dan O’Sullivan said: “We believe other victims may have been targeted between the new year period and January 9, however for personal reasons may not have wanted to report it.
“If you have been a victim, you can report in confidence to us or speak to an officer from the LGBTQ+ community. Although the suspects have fled the country and the risk to the community is reduced, we are continuing to engage with our partners and those from LGBT independent advisory groups.”
Other potential victims or those with information for the police can call 101 quoting Operation Cavendish.
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