Two burglars got more than they bargained for during a break-in in the East Flemish town of Sint-Niklaas. Local residents caught the burglars and gave them a severe battering. One burglar reportedly suffered a broken leg, the other a head injury. The police had to intervene to calm tempers. The public prosecutor's office is now investigating the case.
The two burglars were caught a little before midnight on Tuesday night while breaking into a house in Sint-Niklaas.
A dozen local residents gathered outside to restrain the burglars when they were caught. The burglars sustained several injuries during a battering meted out to them by the locals: one suffered a broken leg, while the other was bleeding profusely from the head as a result of a head injury. Police attended the scene and attempted to calm heated tempers. Two ambulances and a medical emergency vehicle were also dispatched.
The two burglars have now been arrested. Several local residents are being questioned. East Flanders public prosecutors are examining the case to establish what exactly happened. Local residents say the burglars are also suspected of previous burglaries in the area, but this has not yet been confirmed.