Jailed: Gang of robbers who lured dating app users into ambushes and left victims with broken eye sockets

Over the course of ten months between 2023 and 2024, the group committed robberies across Birmingham, resulting in more than £100,000 stolen. 

The offences happened at Golden Hillock Park, in the Sparkbrook area of the city. Offences were also committed in Derby city centre.

The gang - Demalji Hadza, Abubaker Alezawy, Ali Hassan, Wasim Omar and Mohammed Sharif - created fictional profiles on dating apps such as Grindr to invite victims to meet at locations.

They also relied on the good nature of members of the public by pretending to be injured in order to trick the victims into helping them.

In one incident, the group pretended their car had broken down in Derby and when two people went to assist them in good faith, they were assaulted and robbed.

The gang would trap their victims, assault them, take their belongings and make threats against them.

While being held for hours, the victim's phones were used to transfer large sums of money out of their bank accounts.

The robbers would then go to cashpoints to withdraw cash and visit shops to spend the money using the stolen cards.

The gang also stole vehicles and house keys and would terrify their victims with the threat of being stabbed before taking their car keys, wallets and forms of identification, leaving them stranded.

Victims were left with injuries including broken eye sockets, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken nose, with many of them requiring hospital treatment.

In most of the attacks, the suspects concealed their identity with masks or face coverings or held their victims down with their faces in the mud to prevent them from being identified.

On Monday (January 13) at Birmingham Crown Court, the gang were jailed for a combined total of almost 80 years.

They had previously been convicted in September 18 for conspiracy to commit robbery.

They included:

• Demalji Hadza, aged 21 and of Erskine Street, Birmingham - sentenced to 16 years and two months in prison

• Abubaker Alezawy, also aged 21 and of Baverstock Road, Birmingham - jailed for 16 years and five months

• Ali Hassan, aged 20 and of Albert Road, Birmingham - sentenced to 16 years and nine months in prison

• Wasim Omar, aged 24 and of Wardlow Road, Birmingham - jailed for 17 years and three months

• Mohammed Sharif, aged 22 and of Keer Court in Birmingham - sentenced to 12 years and three months

West Midlands Police Detective Inspector Tom Lyons, from Birmingham local policing area, said: “This was a calculated series of robberies with Hadza, Alezawy, Hasan, Omar and Sharif, deliberately targeting victims because they believed they were vulnerable, easy targets. 

"My team conducted a lengthy investigation which required piecing together many strands of evidence.

“I know that it took the victims in this case a huge amount of bravery and courage to come forward and support the criminal justice process through to trial - and I commend them for doing so.

“Their evidence enabled us to launch a full-scale investigation and build a strong case, which ultimately brought the offenders to justice, and has undoubtedly prevented many other people from becoming a victim.

“I hope the sentencing provides reassurance that we take these types of offences extremely seriously, and always do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice. Those found committing offences like this can expect to face a considerable length of time in prison.”

Speaking after the gang were sentenced, Detective Constable Sarah Byrne, added: “Convicting these individuals would have never been possible without the victims' bravery in sharing their accounts with the police and court.

"We hope that seeing these individuals being held to account for their actions will bring closure for the victims.

“I would encourage anyone who has been subject to a similar ordeal to come forward and report it to police. All reports will be dealt with sensitively and victims will be supported by specially trained officers."