Baltimore County police have arrested two men and warned the public after multiple robberies linked to people using dating apps, raising concerns about safety for anyone meeting strangers online. Matthew Austin Bauer, 21, and Paul William James Keve, 18, both of Dundalk, Md., are now charged with armed robbery, second-degree assault and misdemeanor theft in connection with at least two incidents where victims were lured through apps and then robbed at knife-point.
The arrests follow law enforcement’s ongoing push to identify additional victims and possible suspects connected to what authorities are calling “date robberies” — crimes where suspects use dating or hookup platforms to entice people into meeting in person only to be attacked and robbed once they arrive.”
How the Incidents Happened
According to police, in late March a 24-year-old man arranged to meet someone through the gay dating app Jack’d at a Dundalk location. When the victim arrived, police say Bauer and Keve surrounded him, threatened him with a folding knife, and stole cash and his cellphone.
In an earlier March incident, a 22-year-old man who set up a meeting through Grindr was reportedly approached by a masked suspect and beaten before having his belongings taken — with Keve later identified as one of those involved.
Baltimore County detectives are actively urging other potential victims to come forward, saying they believe there may be additional people who were targeted but reluctant to report the crimes.
Beyond These Arrests: A Larger Pattern?
This isn’t the only instance in Maryland where dating apps have been tied to violent crime. State and local police agencies have investigated a string of cases in recent years where suspects allegedly used apps like Tinder, Grindr, and others to target and rob or assault victims in and around the Washington-Baltimore area.
For example, a Silver Spring man was arrested after allegedly assaulting and robbing men he met on a dating platform, and a Brandywine man was later charged with rape, kidnapping, carjacking and armed robbery tied to encounters arranged through an app.
These cases underscore a trend law enforcement warns about: crimes facilitated by online meeting platforms are not random — they’re increasingly common, and victims are often hesitant to report them due to fear or embarrassment.
Police and Platform Responses
Baltimore County police emphasize safety: meet in public places, let friends know where you’re going, and pay attention to suspicious behavior or reluctance to share basic identity information.
In past dating app-related robbery cases, police publicly advised that initial contacts should be in busy, well-lit areas, and that people should consider bringing a friend or letting someone else join the first meeting.
Representatives for dating apps typically highlight that these platforms employ screening tools and cooperatively work with law enforcement. Yet police caution that technology alone isn’t enough — user vigilance matters.
The Real Risk: More Than Just Bad Dates
This story isn’t just about crime headlines — it’s an opportunity for awareness and a conversation on digital dating safety, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community and other groups that use specialized apps for social or romantic connection.
Online dating brings real connection, especially for LGBTQ+ people who may feel isolated or underrepresented in traditional social spaces. But every platform’s convenience also opens the door for people with malicious intentions — from simple theft to violent assault.
What’s especially concerning is not just that these crimes happen, but that they often go unreported until multiple incidents occur. That delay can allow perpetrators to strike again.
Your Voice Matters — Let’s Talk
💬 Do you think dating apps are doing enough to protect users — especially vulnerable groups — from attackers who use them to lure victims?
💬 Should law enforcement track and publicize these incidents more actively, or does that risk stigmatizing online dating in general?
Share your thoughts below — your insights could help others stay safe and aware.
