On Saturday evening, a man experienced a frightening encounter at a Hampton Inn hotel in the 5600 block of Oakland when what started as an online meetup turned into an armed robbery. According to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department reports, the 24-year-old victim had invited a man he met on a dating site to his hotel room shortly after 8 p.m. What was supposed to be a private meeting swiftly escalated, as the date drew a gun and robbed the victim of his belongings.
The assailant, whose identity remains unknown, brandished a firearm and proceeded to steal a purse and cell phone from the hotel room table before fleeing the scene. It is incidents like these, that serve as a reminder of the unpredictable risks that can come with online encounters. District 2 officers responded to the robbery after being alerted, but the suspect had already vanished into the hotel's parking lot;
Those wishing to report any details while maintaining their anonymity can contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477), where they may be eligible for a financial reward, should their information prove pivotal in the investigation. Alternatively, tips can also be submitted directly to a detective at (314)444-0100, though only tips sent through CrimeStoppers will qualify for the potential reward.
