Vancouver police responded to a report of an armed robbery Friday afternoon that occurred when the victim met up with two men to buy a game console.
The robbery was reported shortly before 5:15 p.m. in the 3100 block of Falk Road.
The 13-year-old victim had arranged online to meet up with someone selling an Xbox and two controllers for $25. They met at Roosevelt Elementary School at about 5 p.m. to carry out the transaction, Vancouver Police Department Sgt. Sean Dumas said.
When the victim arrived at the school, there were two men — who looked to be in their late teens or early 20s — in a white Volkswagen Jetta. There was also a child who looked to be 10 to 12 years old sitting in the back seat, Dumas said.
The front-seat passenger got out of the car and showed the victim the Xbox. But when the victim pulled out his money, the man snatched it from him and went back to the car. The victim said the driver was holding a black revolver but didn’t point it at him, Dumas said.
The suspect dropped $5 as he fled. The victim picked up the dropped money and ran home. He told his parents what happened, Dumas said, and they called 911.
The suspects were not located.
People meeting up to finish online transactions are encouraged to use designated safe exchange zones — available in parking lots at the Vancouver Police Department’s administration, west and east precinct buildings.
This is the fourth meet up deal gone wrong since March 10, according to Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp. Some of the victims have been buyers, some sellers. This is the third incident where a firearm was used.