By Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, Dec.23.25
A PREDATORY duo who used dating app Grindr to hunt and rob unsuspecting men in their own homes have been locked up for a total of eight-and-a-half years.
Cruel Afghan nationals Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 22, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 21, ran a sophisticated “burgle-to-order” racket that left a trail of devastated victims across London.
The “calculated” pair would match with men online before sweet-talking their way into their homes. Once inside, they used sneaky distraction tactics to fleece their targets of phone passwords, high-value watches, and wallets.
In a series of “callous” raids between October last year and March, the greedy pair carried out a staggering 35 burglaries and 20 frauds.
The court heard how the duo would make a “quick exit” to a waiting getaway car after snatching handsets. They then ruthlessly drained bank accounts and transferred funds while their victims were still reeling.
Cops finally ended their reign of terror after a massive probe by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, which used CCTV and phone records to link the pair to 22 different victims.
At Isleworth Crown Court yesterday, the game was finally up.
Mohammadi, of Harrow, was handed a five-year stretch behind bars.
Hotak, of Hackney, was jailed for three-and-a-half years. Both were found guilty of burglary, fraud, and theft.
Superintendent Owen Renowden slammed the pair’s “devastating” impact, saying: “Nobody should be made to feel unsafe in their own homes. These men carried out a series of callous, calculated, pre-planned crimes.”
The Met worked alongside LGBT+ charity GALOP to ensure victims—who are often hesitant to come forward—felt supported.
Detective Inspector Mark Gavin added: “Ensuring victims felt heard, believed and taken seriously was a key focus. This proved crucial in giving them the confidence to speak to us.”
CCTV footage released by cops shows Mohammadi brazenly using a stolen phone to buy items in a Waltham Forest shop just days before he was nicked in a dramatic vehicle stop in Newham.
