Irvine police searching for jewelry store robber

Irvine police were searching Thursday afternoon for a man suspected of robbing [Update: a retail store] a jewelry store on Jeffrey Road near the Santa Ana Freeway, authorities said.
The crime occurred about 2 p.m in the 14100 block of Jeffrey Road. The robber entered the business and stole merchandise, the Irvine Police Department said.
The robber was confronted by an employee and claimed to have a gun, but no weapon was observed, Irvine Police Lt. John Hare said.
The robber fled, but may still be in the area. Police units, including a helicopter and search dogs, are looking for the man, and the department is alerting residents to the situation by using the reverse 911 system.
The robber was described as a white male in his late 30s with blond hair who was wearing a gray shirt and jeans, Hare sai