Attempted robbery, fight over PlayStation 5 in B.C. parking lot caught on video

The new PlayStation 5 is a hot commodity ahead of the holidays, but one B.C. man was not letting his get stolen without a fight.

Dashcam video uploaded to Reddit showed a man meeting up with a group of people to sell a PS5 a few weeks ago at Brentwood Mall in Burnaby.

The three men who arrive to buy the game console suddenly spray the seller, who has not yet been identified, with bear spray.

They then try to take off with the device, but the seller fights back and grabs hold of the person who took the machine.

They start fighting, and then the other two men come back and spray the seller a few more times.

The trio eventually flees, but without the PS5.

2:01 Online sellers robbed of videogame consoles

Surrey RCMP issued a warning last week after three people were robbed in a 24-hour period while trying to sell a PS5 through buy-and-sell websites.

Mounties urged the public to take extra care when selling anything through an online platform, and issued the following tips:

• Insist on a public meeting place during the day, such as local businesses with regular foot traffic.
• Gather as much information as possible so you know who you’re dealing with, such as their full name and cellphone number.
• Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home.
• Only meet during daylight hours or in a well-lit and heavily populated area.
• Be especially careful when buying or selling high-value items.
• Tell a friend or family member where you’re going and when you’re meeting the buyer/seller.
• Take your cellphone and a friend along to accompany you.

– With files from Simon Little