New Westminster police urge caution when using apps to meet strangers for sex

People dine at a restaurant in Vancouver, on April 2, 2021. Police in New Westminster are warning residents about the dangers of meeting up with strangers from dating apps for "casual sexual encounters." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — Police in New Westminster, B.C., are warning residents about the dangers of meeting up with strangers from dating apps for “casual sexual encounters.”

Spokesman Sgt. Andrew Leaver says police have responded “on numerous occasions” to calls where a suspect has lured a victim after connecting online through a dating site.

He says people have reported being duped by a fake profile and falling victim to offences such as extortion or robbery.

Leaver did not say how many reports the department has received in the past year, but says one case this year stemmed from the LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr.

He says police are encouraging residents who plan to have casual sexual encounters to take precautions, suggesting they meet people in public first to ensure their safety and that it is the person they expected.

Leaver says police believe it is an under-reported issue and are also encouraging victims to come forward.

“We just want people to know that there are some easy steps they can take to make themselves safe when they’re meeting people,” he said in an interview Thursday.

“There aren’t a lot of people talking about it, but it is happening. So we, for the safety of our community, wanted to put (it) out there to know that we are here to support them.”