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Eagle Staff Writer

An Allegheny County man who used a canister of pepper spray to rob the 3 B's store in Butler Township will spend 4 to 12 months in the Butler County Prison.

Michael Coyle, 26, had already been convicted of retail theft four times elsewhere when a woman shopping in the Point Plaza cigarette and cigar shop attempted to block his next attempt.

Around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 30, Coyle reportedly distracted the store's clerk as his cohort, 23-year-old Kaitlin Hornak of Canonsburg, filled her coat with nine cartons of cigarettes.

But a customer, Melanie Renwick, confronted Hornak as she tried to leave the store. Renwick alerted the clerk as four of the stolen cartons of cigarettes fell from Hornak's coat.

Renwick would have prevented Hornak from jumping in a car and leaving, but Coyle intervened. He threatened to spray Renwick with a canister of pepper spray if she didn't back off.

She did, and the couple drove away.

But police soon after arrested Hornak and Coyle in Middlesex Township, still with five cartons of cigarettes and two canisters of pepper spray in their car.

Coyle of Coraopolis pleaded guilty to robbery and retail theft.

He was sentenced Wednesday by Butler County Judge William Shaffer.

Hornak's case is still pending. She faces charges of robbery, retail theft, conspiracy and driving with a suspended license. Court records indicate she already has one prior conviction of retail theft.