A 61-year-old Groningen man who yesterday claimed to have overpowered and beaten up a burglar in the early hours of Sunday morning, actually had a date with his victim, RTV Noord said on Monday.

The 31-year-old ‘burglar’ was very seriously injured in the incident and is being treated in hospital. RTV Noord says the two actually met via a dating site, and the older man had willing let the 31-year-old into his home.

Groningen police said on Sunday evening that the two men appeared to know each other. ‘Several items’ have been taken from the house where the incident happened and the tenant is in police custody for questioning, a spokesman said.