Pune: Police use dating app to nab woman, mugging her dates

Police officers in Pune nabbed a woman suspected of drugging and robbing her dates while using the dating app Bumble by utilising a complex web of Bumble users.

The police were able to apprehend the 27-year-old accused Sayali after a difficult operation that involved creating numerous false profiles of police informers and undercover officers, tracing a phoney identity card, using aliases, meeting an ex, and much more.

On the dating app Bumble, the victim said he matched with the suspect, who went by the name Shikha, and went on a date with her. He became thirsty during their encounter, so she handed him water from her bottle. He passed out when they got to his house since it was spiked, and she then stole his phone, gold rings, and chain.

The cops tried to find her on Bumble by creating several accounts, some of which even matched with her, but she didn’t strike up a conversation, thus their efforts came to naught.

Meanwhile, a second victim reported the incident and said they stayed at a motel for a short while. The police had a breakthrough when the hotel requested a photo ID card from the suspect; however, it was someone else’s.

She was revealed to be the accused’s ex when authorities tracked down the ID’s original owner.

According to the police, Bumble’s authorities offered them little to no assistance. They also attempted to obtain Sayali, alias Shikha,’s phone number, but were unable since they thought she was an experienced criminal who only utilised the Bumble Call service instead of using her personal phone to contact her victims.

This time, a victim reported receiving a call at a specific time from an unknown number but being unable to hear the other party.The police stated she dialled accidentally and disconnected as soon as she realised her error, which is what brought them to her.

In the past few months, she claimed a total of 16 victims.