South Portland police have arrested a 25-year-old transient on a charge of attempting to rob a woman outside a restaurant late Tuesday night.
After police released surveillance images that depicted the man believed responsible for the attempted robbery, members of the public contacted the police to identify the suspect as Christopher Muise. He was then quickly spotted in the Redbank area of South Portland.
When a uniformed officer approached him, Muise ran off. He was later found hiding in the attic at 37 Wainwright Circle West, and was arrested without incident, police said.
He is being held at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland. His bail has not been set, police said.
The attempted robbery occurred about 11:40 p.m. outside the Buffalo Wild Wing restaurant on Western Avenue. A woman was sitting in her car outside the restaurant when she was approached by a man who motioned to her with his hands to indicate he wanted the woman to hand over any money she had, but she didn’t have any.
The man then displayed what appeared to be a handgun and demanded money again.
Around the same time, a patron exited the restaurant and the man with the gun walked away.
“I think the mere presence of the guy frightened (the suspect) off,” said Lt. Todd Bernard.
Bernard said no money was exchanged and no one was injured during the incident.
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