A man is in critical condition in hospital after a vicious assault outside a motel early Tuesday morning.

The attack happened at around 2:30 a.m. in Motel Village.

A man was seen walking around the motel's parking lot.

He was confronted by three men who believed the man was trying to break into their vehicle, and that's when things got violent.

Staff Sgt. Doug Crippen says it's a case of street justice that went too far.

"Once they arrived they found an unconscious male, called EMS to take him to hospital. We believe the individual was attempting to break into a vehicle and that the owner and two others tried to take him into custody."

Three men are charged with aggravated assault.