A would-be robber left a downtown hotel empty-handed early Tuesday morning.

At about 1:50 a.m. Tuesday, a man covered in garbage bags "in an attempt to disguise his identity” and carrying a piece of wood walked into the lobby of the Gold Rush Inn, Whitehorse RCMP said this morning.

There, he brandished the wood, trying to intimidate the hotel's employee behind the desk.

The staffer wasn't about to let the intruder get the better of them, though.

When no cash was turned over, the man smashed some items on the front desk, Sgt. Don Rogers told the Star.

The flying debris left the employee with some minor bruising even though there was no physical contact between them and the would-be robber, who then left the hotel, running down Main Street toward Sixth Avenue.

The RCMP are seeking the public's assistance in identifying the suspect with a surveillance video available for viewing at www.yukonrcmp.ca

Described as a First Nations man, he was wearing a black hoodie and Nike shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP at 667-5555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Hotel management declined to comment on the attempted robbery.