Mounties in Nanaimo are investigating after two seniors were tied up with belts, attacked and robbed in a violent home invasion early Tuesday morning.

The couple in their 70s were woken up at around 4 a.m. when three men entered their home through a sliding door, according to RCMP.

The men, who were unknown to the couple, struck the male resident in the head with a blunt object and knocked him to the ground.

The attackers then tied up the man and woman with belts before ransacking the house for about 20 minutes and making off with a number of goods and the couple's 2008 gray Lexus.

Police say the woman managed to free herself and run next door to call for help. Mounties and paramedics arrived and transported the man to hospital with lacerations to his head. He has since been released.

Police are now trying to identify and track down the home invaders, who may have chosen the victims based on mistaken identity.

"Very disconcerting, very troubling for us," said Sgt. Gary O' Brien. "One thing we want the public to know is based on conversations with the victim and certain things that were said by the suspects, it was a targeted incident – but they got the wrong house."

Investigators are convinced that the attackers were trying to target other homeowners and ended up in the wrong residence, but carried out their plans despite it.

"They probably took advantage of it," O'Brien said of why the trio continued with the home invasion.

Police are hoping someone will come forward to help identify who the attackers are.

"We expect quick success on this because there's a standard that you don't cross," said O'Brien. "You don't take advantage of the elderly and that's exactly what happened here."

A friend of the couple's, Mike Gogo, says he was horrified by what happened to them.

"It doesn't get any worse as far as I'm concerned," he said.

Gogo is putting up his own $5,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest in the case.

"I've gone to a number of sleazy bars and let the word out that money is available when they come out with some information," he said. "It's very upsetting, you know?"

O'Brien said he expected to issue a news release on the home invasion later Tuesday. Anyone with information is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.