Police search for man accused of using dating site to look for victims

MOUNT LAUREN, NJ (WTXF) Jack'd: It's a dating website for people looking for a match. Like other dating sites you choose from pictures, send messages and arrange to meet. However, Mount Laurel Police say one man is using it to look for victims in what appears to be a cell phone scheme.

"The victim explained to us that he met the suspect through a dating website or app on his phone and they had arranged to meet," said Lieutenant Stephen Riedner.

He says there have been two incidents. Both on February 10th in the early morning hours. The first victim told police he agreed to meet the suspect near the Dunkin Donuts on Route 73 at 12:30 in the morning. The suspect got into the victim's car and suggested they go to a friend's house not far away on Lenola Road. It's a dead end street with a house at the end.

"So he asked the victim could he borrow his phone and call his friend so they can get in. Once he did that they walked up to the house and the suspect took the phone and ran into the business area," said Lt. Riedner.

Two hours later, police got a similar call from another victim. He gives the same dating site info, meet up location and description of the suspect.

"The only difference is when the suspect asked this victim for the phone he got a little suspicious and wouldn't give it up and the suspect ran off again," he said.

Police got these surveillance pictures from a business in the area. They believe it's the suspect and say he's wearing extremely similar clothing shown in the profile picture he uses on the dating site. We've blurred his face because police have not made a positive identification yet.

"We don't know if that is in fact our suspect. He may just be a witness who was in the area who can give us an idea of what he saw but he's certainly someone we'd like to talk to," said Lieutenant Riedner.

Police say the victims are 19 and 25 years old and both had iPhones. The suspect could be charged with theft, attempted theft and luring to commit a crime.