Victorian man Thomas Samas used Grindr to lure victim and stole his car

Thomas Samas pleaded guilty to armed robbery and was sentenced to 95 days behind bars in the County Court of Victoria on Monday.

The 23-year-old was also ordered to serve a two year community corrections order once he was released from prison and will live with his mum in the state’s north.

Samas met his victim on Grindr and they exchanged photos on the app before meeting up in December 2018.

During the drive to the victim’s house at Grovedale, in Geelong, Samas showed off his distinctive tattoos.

But the meeting would turn sour when the young man threatened his victim with a serrated kitchen knife after returning from a cigarette break.

“I am not going to hurt you. I am taking your car,” Samas told his victim before taking keys to a Suzuki and fleeing.

The victim called Triple-0 immediately but police only found the abandoned car two weeks later at Doreen, more than 120km away.

“The complainant was terrified and did not know what might happen to him,” Judge Irene Lawson said during her sentencing remarks.

Samas ended up in hospital because of a drug-induced psychosis just days after the crime, the court was told.

One of the tattoos he showed his victim was later used to identify him but he wasn’t charged until July 2020 because of police officers leaving the force or being seconded to other assignments.

The judge said the crime was unsophisticated, there was no attempt to disguise himself and he was “severely disinhibited by drugs” at the time.

His life was marked by trauma, mental health issues and drug abuse which started when he was 13 and was encouraged by his father, Judge Lawson said.

After this incident he later committed an attempted armed robbery that involved Grindr and was jailed for it.

She noted he made steps to reform while in prison and wanted to continue with his drug and mental health treatment programs.

The judge asked Samas whether he had ever been to his mother’s place.

“No – It sounds lovely so I’m happy to go,” he told the court.

He said he was looking forward to spending time with his mum and was committed to not offending again, would abide by his conditions and thanked the judge.

Samas must undergo drug and alcohol treatment, continue with his mental health treatments and be of good behaviour for two years. He has already served 78 days of his sentence.