How did burglars use Grindr for home invasions in London?

They created profiles to arrange meetings, then used excuses to get inside victims' homes and steal their phones.

What was the sentence for the Grindr-using burglars?

Rahmat Khan Mohammadi was jailed for five years, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak received three and a half years.

Were the victims targeted because of their sexuality?

The judge found victims were targeted for perceived vulnerability and ease of access via Grindr, not out of specific hostility.

Home / Crime and Justice / Grindr Burglars Jailed for Home Invasions

Grindr Burglars Jailed for Home Invasions

23 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Burglars used Grindr to lure victims into letting them inside homes.
Victims were tricked into handing over phone passwords for music.
Two Afghan refugees received prison sentences for their crimes.

Grindr Burglars Jailed for Home Invasions

Two individuals, Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 23, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 27, have been sentenced to prison for a series of burglaries and frauds facilitated by the dating app Grindr. The pair targeted victims in London, persuading them to allow entry into their homes under the guise of meeting up.

Once inside, they employed a tactic of asking victims to play music on YouTube, thereby gaining temporary access to their phones. They then stole the devices, committing online and contactless payment fraud, and sometimes transferring funds directly. Mohammadi committed crimes between October 24, 2024, and March 24, this year, while Hotak was involved during a similar period.

At Isleworth Crown Court, Mohammadi was sentenced to five years and Hotak to three and a half years. The judge highlighted the psychological trauma and distress experienced by victims, noting they were targeted due to perceived vulnerability and the assumption they might not report the crimes.