KOCHI: A youth was duped by his female WhatsApp friend who allegedly stole his scooter and mobile phone after they met for the first time in a city mall. The victim, a 24-year-old youth hailing from Kaipattoor in Ernakulam, lost his three-month-old black Yamaha Fascino scooter when he briefly stepped away to use the washroom at the shopping mall.
Based on the youth’s complaint, Kalamassery police registered a case for theft on Sunday and launched an investigation. The incident began when the victim received a wrong-number message on WhatsApp. The woman at the other end apologised and soon struck up a casual friendship that gradually turned into daily chats.
Over the next month, their conversations grew into what the youth believed was a romantic relationship, though she never shared her photo—promising to meet him in person, said an officer with the city police.
“On November 7, the woman invited the youth to a mall in Kochi for their first date. She asked him to park his scooter near a shop instead of the mall’s parking area, claiming it would save parking fees and make their return journey easy. Inside the mall, he met her for the first time and noticed that she appeared older than he expected, but she convinced him otherwise,” the officer said.
After the meal, the woman excused herself to wash her hands, during which she discreetly took his scooter key and mobile phone. Before leaving, she suggested he use the washroom. However, when he returned, both the woman and his scooter were gone.