Ypsilanti Twp. man robbed during online dating meet up

A 27-year-old Ypsilanti Township man was robbed Wednesday after meeting up with a woman he met on a dating website.

It started out innocently enough on MeetMe.com, but the man became suspicious as soon as his date came to pick him up on Wednesday night at Appleridge and Woodruff.

"When he was actually picked up there were actually two people in car. There was a black male driver and then this female," said Lt. Jim Anuszkiewicz of Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department.

Investigators say the man became suspicious immediately as they started driving.

"While he was in the car he was assaulted from behind," Anuszkiewicz said.

Another person was hiding in the cargo area of the SUV, according to detectives.

The victim was able to get out of the SUV but that's when he says he was beaten up outside.

He's not sure if the people who beat him up were the ones in the car, or perhaps different people entirely.

They stole his wallet and his cell phone.

The victim was able to get away from his attackers and make it to a party store where he called 911.

He was taken to a hospital with cuts and injuries to his head.

Authorities say this is a cautionary tale when it comes to online dating.

"The fact of it is is you don't know who you're talking with online. It could be anyone," Anuszkiewicz said.