Police: Bear spray foils robbery, helps officer find robber

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — Police say an attempted robbery was foiled at a Maryland restaurant after an employee sprayed a knife-wielding bandit with bear deterrent spray.

The Frederick News-Post reports that the bear spray helped officers arrest the man because police said he still reeked of it when they tracked him down.

The incident occurred Friday at Dutch’s Daughter restaurant in Frederick.

Police said that James Edward Maxwell III, 36, threatened employees with a knife. The bear spray that was used on him is a powerful form of pepper spray.

“That actually helped us solve the case because when our officers contacted the man on Butterfly Lane he still reeked of bear spray,” said Lt. Kirk Henneberry, commander of the Frederick Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division.

Maxwell was charged with assault and robbery and sent to jail. It’s unclear if he has hired an attorney.