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La. police use dating app to catch man accused of phone theft

Officers posed as a woman on a dating app and arranged a meeting with the suspect at a Lafayette hotel

Associated Press

LAFAYETTE, La. — Police in Louisiana say officers used a dating app to arrest a man accused of stealing a phone at gunpoint.

The Lafayette Police Department announced in a news release that 27-year-old Leroy Hebert was arrested Tuesday. The Advocate reports officers posed as a woman on a dating app and arranged a meeting with Hebert at a Lafayette hotel.

Police say the owner of the stolen phone told authorities he was robbed at gunpoint by two men Monday night. Authorities say the victim was able to access his phone activity online and found a selfie Hebert took on the phone.

Hebert was booked on a count of armed robbery. It isn’t clear if he has an attorney.

Authorities haven’t identified the second suspect.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press