An 18-year-old man is accused of stealing four 12-packs of Budweiser beer from a Kaimuki business early this morning, police said.

The man entered the store at 2:10 a.m. this morning and took the beer. The clerk placed himself in front of the man in an attempt to stop him from leaving with the beer. The man struck the clerk in the chest and dropped two of the 12-packs and fled from the store, police said.

Police spotted the man a short distance from the store carrying the remaining two 12-packs. He was positively identified and arrested for investigation of robbery in the second degree, police said.