PORTLAND, Ore. - A robbery suspect got a wet surprise when he tried to rob a Portland car wash on Dec. 13. The robbery attempt took place at the Washman car wash on Northeast 81st and Glisan Street in Portland.

The robbery suspect, who was wearing a skeleton-style Halloween mask, tired to force a Santa hat-wearing employee to hand over the cash out of a register by threatening him with a fake hand gun. 

That's when Chris Truax, the car wash worker, brandished his own weapon: a high-pressure water gun used to clean cars as they moved through the automated facility.

He reportedly got off a shot of water to the suspect's face during the scuffle, and the suspect dropped the plastic gun.

Truax said he was working mostly alone when the suspect quickly came up to him and said he wanted the money in the register. Truax knew everything was being recorded on video.

"When he first said "give me your money," I though he was joking," Truax recalled, "I didn't think he was serious."

Truax then got a good look at the gun and said he realized it was a fake. He told the suspect to move to another register where there was cash.

The suspect complied, and moments later, Chris grabbed the pressure washer and pulled the trigger.

"He just turned around and ran," Truax said, and the security video backs up the claim. "He had no clue what he was doing at all," Truax said.

Chris said he was on the phone to 9-1-1 while trying to spray the suspect, but the robber did not seem to care.

The robbery suspect, described as a white male, in his 20s, 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, fled the scene on foot and security camera footage shows a blast of water on his tail.

Truax's boss called him a great employee and lauded his courage, but says he'd rather have the robbers just get the money rather than someone get hurt.

Truax spent a few hours in jail following the incident because police realized he had an outstanding warrant for a probation violation relating to a DUII case. He was released after a short time.

Truax said he took action because he likes his job and was feeling a bit territorial.

There is a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. Police said they have received several tips already.