Police name five online dating robbery suspects from Birmingham and warn of dating app dangers

Five men from Birmingham have been charged with robbing and assaulting people they agreed to meet through online dating apps.

West Midlands Police has warned people about the dangers of arranging to meet people over the internet after charging the suspects with various crimes related to robbing and assaulting people they met online.

The five men are Demalji Hadza, 21, Wasim Omar, 23, Ali Hassan, 21, Abubaker Alexawy, 21, and Mohammed Sharif, 23. They allegedly lured victims into meeting them and then robbed and attacked them.

Hadza, Omar and Hassan were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Saturday (February 27), where they were remanded in custody to appear in court next month.

Alexawy was also charged with conspiracy to rob and was remanded in custody. Sharif was accused of money laundering and was released on bail after his court appearance.

West Midlands Police have issued a number of safety tips for people meeting someone for the first time off a dating app. These are:

• Check you have their real name by finding out if they use any social media sites
• Get more pictures so you can check they are who they say they are
• Meet in a public place
• Tell a friend where you’re meeting your date
• Never arrange to meet in your home. This can put you in great danger and could lead to your belongings being stolen
• If something happens that you’re not comfortable with, don’t be embarrassed, report it!
• Ask for Angela - this is an initiative that numerous pubs and bars across the West Midlands have joined to offer assistance, should you find yourself in a difficult or intimidating situation while you're out and about.