Exhibit 99.1

Mace Security International Engages Investment Banking Firm, Legg Mason, to
Explore the Sale of Its Car and Truck Wash Division

    MOUNT LAUREL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 9, 2004--Mace Security
International, Inc. ("Mace") (Nasdaq:MACE), a manufacturer of
electronic surveillance and personal defense products and an owner and
operator of car and truck wash facilities, today announced that it has
engaged Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated ("Legg Mason") for the
purpose of identifying strategic business alternatives, including the
possible sale of all of the Company's car and truck washes.
    Mace will consider a sale if the purchase price received would be
sufficient to retire all debt related to the car and truck washes and
provide capital for the growth of Mace's electronic surveillance and
personal defense divisions. Mace seeks to grow these two divisions
through acquisitions, new product development and new market
penetration.
    Mace currently owns and operates 49 car washes and five truck
washes. The car washes are located in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas (Major cities include: Phoenix,
Philadelphia, Fort Myers, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio). The truck
washes are in Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and Texas.
    The agreement between Mace and Legg Mason is an engagement for the
purpose of identifying opportunities for the possible sale of the
Company's car and truck washes. There can be no assurances that any
particular strategic business alternative will be pursued or that any
transaction will occur, or on what terms.
    Mace Security International, Inc. is a manufacturer of electronic
surveillance and personal defense products, and an owner and operator
of car and truck wash facilities. More information about Mace is
available at www.mace.com.

    Certain statements and information included in this press release
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in
this press release, the words or phrases "will likely result", "are
expected to", "will continue", "is anticipated", "estimate",
"projected", "intend to" or similar expressions are intended to
identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are
subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties,
including but not limited to economic conditions, dependence on
management, dilution to shareholders, limited capital resources, the
effects of weather on the demand for car care services, the effects of
rapid growth on the Company and the ability of management to
effectively respond to that growth, our ability to achieve operating
synergies, our ability to compete against established competitors,
regulatory matters, the effects of competition, and our ability to
obtain additional financing. Such factors could materially adversely
affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the
Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from
any opinions or statements expressed within this press release.
Additional discussion of factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates
and expectations are contained in the Company's SEC filings, including
its S-3 registration statements, Form 10-K for 2002, Form 10-K for
2003, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended June 30, 2003, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
September 30, 2003, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004,
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 and Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30, 2004. This press release should be read in
conjunction with the financial statements and notes contained in the
Company's annual report on Form 10-K and the Company's quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q.

    CONTACT: Mace Security International, Inc., Mount Laurel
             Robert M. Kramer, 856-778-2300
             www.mace.com