KEZI

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — A local man with a lengthy criminal record is in the Lane County Jail, after Springfield Police say he threatened Walmart employees with a knife after robbing the store Saturday around midnight. Investigators say 26-year-old Brian Brusewitz was trying to exit the store on Olympic Street with stolen goods when an employee followed him. He allegedly pulled out what police say was similar to a pocket knife and threatened the worker, then got away.

Responding officers quickly set up a perimeter, and a new member to the department’s K-9 unit, “Troll”, began tracking from the Walmart parking lot to a nearby neighborhood, where Brusewitz was found hiding.

“Went pretty well. In fact it went great. We caught him in a right quick hurry, and so he was still in the area and we caught him and he still had the stolen property,” said Sgt. Richard Lewis, Springfield Police.

Brusewitz faces charges of robbery. He could face more if the district attorney sees fit.