The victim, who used the alias “Fifi,” said the incident happened on July 2 at around 2 a.m., just two days after he met and began talking to the suspect on Tinder.

In a TikTok post, the victim said the suspect picked him up on a motorcycle from his condo and claimed to be a student-athlete from La Salle. He appeared well-presented, prompting the victim to agree to the meetup.

While on the way to a coffee shop along Legarda Street, the suspect asked him to open a navigation app, saying he was unfamiliar with the route.

The victim later realized the suspect may have been memorizing the passcode.

The suspect then stopped at a gas station, saying he would refuel. As the victim got off, the rider suddenly sped away, taking the phone.

The device had been with the victim for only six months and was not yet fully paid, he said, adding that he immediately alerted his banks and e-wallets due to possible access.

“Nanakaw sa akin yung iPhone 17 Pro ko dahil nakipagkita ako sa guy na nakilala ko lang sa dating app (My iPhone 17 Pro was stolen after I met up with a guy I only knew from a dating app),” he said in his video, which he shared to warn others about meeting strangers online.

Gas station workers assisted the victim after the incident, and he later sought help from local authorities.

After posting his experience, the victim said that around 23 individuals reached out, claiming they had encountered the same suspect since 2022 and that the suspect had engaged in similar schemes ranging from theft to acts of lasciviousness.

On July 31, police received a tip that placed the suspect in Makati, prompting them to act.

Authorities tracked him to a call center where he worked and arrested him as he left the building.

Following Fifi's post, police encouraged other possible victims to come forward and file complaints, saying the incident should serve as a cautionary tale and help authorities build stronger cases against repeat offenders.