Afghan gay app robbers sentenced:

Two Afghan nationals operating as part of an organised crime group have been imprisoned for a systematic campaign of burglary and fraud targeting ‘GAY’ men across London via the dating application Grindr.

Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 22 (DOB: 28.10.02), of Weald Lane, Harrow, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 21 (DOB: 01.01.04), of Richmond Road, Hackney, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, 22 December. Mohammadi received a custodial term of five years, while his co-defendant Hotak was ordered to serve three-and-a-half years.

The pair had previously been convicted of multiple counts of burglary, fraud, and theft on Tuesday, 4 November, following a complex inquiry by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command. The court heard the defendants utilised the geolocation features of the social networking platform to profile potential victims before engineering social meetings at private residences.

Once inside the properties, the offenders employed distraction techniques to surreptitiously observe the victims entering security passcodes into their mobile devices. They then absconded with the handsets, alongside other high-value assets such as watches and passports, often utilising a waiting getaway vehicle to flee the scene.

Prosecutors detailed how the stolen devices were immediately exploited to access banking applications, facilitating the theft of significant sums via fraudulent transfers. The criminal enterprise, which spanned from October 2024 to March 2025, involved a total of 35 burglaries and 20 associated fraud offences involving 22 separate complainants.

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Detectives utilised ANPR data, CCTV footage, and telecommunications analysis to link the defendants to the string of offences. Mohammadi was apprehended on 3 April, with Hotak arrested weeks later on 24 April. The judge noted the calculated nature of the targeting and the pre-planned sophistication of the frauds when handing down the custodial terms.