ORLANDO, Fla. -- An Eyewitness News crew found a knife used in an attack lying around for anyone to take in a parking lot, a key piece of evidence Orlando police didn't find at a crime scene.

The knife was likely used during a break-in at a restaurant. The crime happened near Semoran Boulevard and Curry Ford Road on Woolco Way.

Alex Arboleda owns Taqueria Los Deleitesý on Woolco Way in Orlando (see map). He said a group of armed men tried to break into his closed restaurant overnight. When the men kicked the door, Arboleda and a security guard opened the door and that's when things turned violent.

"One guy take a knife. He tried to throw the knife like this," Arboleda described.

Arboleda then took his bottle of mace out of his pocket and sprayed it at the group of men. Miguel Ramos was sprayed in the eyes and fell to the ground. The other suspects drove off.

The other two later found and arrested were Jose Enamorado and Robert Turcio-Gomez.

While Eyewitness News reporter Mark Boyle was collecting information on the story at the scene, he looked down and realized the knife that could have been used was sitting there. Boyle called Orlando police and officers showed up minutes later and took the knife into evidence.

Police said they may have not seen the key piece of evidence because the knife could have been tossed underneath a parked car.

Arboleda said he plans on trading in his can of mace for a gun soon to fight off would-be burglars.

"If that's what I need to use to save my life from, that's what I need to use," Arboleda said.

The men are facing several charges, including armed burglary and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.