Police suspect that ammonium chloride, known as salmiak in Denmark, was used in an attack by two masked men during a robbery at a Kiwi store in Amager in Copenhagen on Thursday night.

“We are not chemists, but we’re pretty sure it was ammonia,” Copenhagen Police spokesperson Gunnar Nørager told TV2 News.

The 28-year-old clerk was treated at a local hospital and then released.

A rash of robberies
Witnesses described one of the attackers as a 30 to 40-year-old man, about 175 cm tall, possibly an ethnic Dane, and wearing dark clothes with a bandana around his face.

The second offender was described as male, Arabic in appearance, 195 cm tall with a muscular build, wearing a red shirt, black jacket and a dark bandana over his face, and carrying a sports bag.

Police said they have talked to several witnesses, but are looking for more.

Nørager noted that there have been several robberies in Amager over the last week.