Lakeland man carjacked during dating site meetup

Finding true love - or even a good date - can be tricky, but a Lakeland 20-year-old found it can be downright dangerous.

The victim told Polk County deputies he began to chat with a 17-year-old named Teara Davis on the dating website Plenty of Fish (pof.com).

The victim said Davis suggested the two meet over the weekend at the McDonald's on State Road 92 at Combee Road. When the victim arrived, he was greeted by Davis and a male she introduced as her brother.

Detectives later discovered the male was actually Davis' boyfriend, 21-year-old Christopher Williams.

They say Davis asked the victim if he would give she and her brother a ride. He agreed.

When the three got to their destination, investigators say Williams beat the victim, stole his car and wallet, and fled with Davis.

Detectives said Davis and Williams tried to use the victim's debit cards, but they didn't work.

The pair was arrested the next day and face felony charges. Investigators also recovered the man's car.

The moral to the story according to Polk Sheriff, Grady Judd:

"People can pretend to be anyone they want on a website, and you don't know what you're getting."

Experts say when considering meeting someone met online, meet the person in public, don't leave in the same car, and do a criminal background check on him or her.