Illinois Man Using Dating Sites To Rob People At Gunpoint, Police Warn

If dating sites weren't unnerving enough, it's getting worse in Illinois.

It's one thing to be a serial dater and just go on dates with seemingly everyone. It's another to be a serial problematic "dater" like this dude.

NBC Chicago reports that police are warning the public against a guy that's using dating apps to rob people at gunpoint. And as you can guess, this hasn't happened just once.

It's happened five times, four of which were in the 200 block of North Pine Avenue in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. All five times, the victims agreed to meet the suspect via a dating website. When the victims got there, the offender pulled a handgun and demanded the victim's property, in one case even stealing a car.

The other incident was on West Van Buren Street, also in the Austin neighborhood. So now Area Four Detectives are looking for the suspect. If you have info, call them at 312-746-8253.

I can't say it enough: meet your dating app matches somewhere public and somewhere you know really well. I often take mine to places where I know the staff and I feel safe there already.

The BBB even wants you to do a deep dive on these folks before you agree to go out with them. Do a reverse image search on dates too to make sure you're not being catfished. Look up your dates on Iowa or Illinois' court systems. It sounds intense but I'd rather go all in on looking someone up than be robbed at gunpoint.