Police: Teen robs Bellingham woman of PS4 in Facebook deal gone bad

An armed teenager robbed a young woman Friday afternoon, March 18, after he set up a deal online to buy a video game console, according to police.

The woman, in her early 20s, had been selling a PlayStation 4 via a Facebook page. She met a supposedly interested buyer around 2:20 p.m. outside Park Bowl, at 4175 Meridian St., according to police.

The young man threatened the woman with either a knife or a small ax, said Bellingham Police Sgt. Claudia Murphy. He took the PS4 and ran west toward the Burlington clothing store.

At least one witness saw a young man matching the theif’s description hop into a gold Honda.

The teen used his own social media account to set up the deal, Murphy said. So police identified a suspect within minutes.

Around 4:30 p.m. police arrested the boy, 17, at a Bellingham pawnshop. Police radio traffic suggested he arrived in a gold Honda car.

His name hasn’t been released, and as a general rule The Bellingham Herald does not name minors accused of most crimes.

This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Police: Teen robs Bellingham woman of PS4 in Facebook deal gone bad."