Thief sought for robbing 2 Kevin Jewelers in Northridge, Riverside

NORTHRIDGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A search is underway for an armed robbery suspect who targeted jewelry stores in malls in the San Fernando Valley and Riverside County.

The suspect's most recent heist occurred Jan. 6 at around 6:30 p.m. at the Northridge Fashion Center Mall. The man walked into a Kevin Jewelers store very nonchalantly, started a conversation with the clerk at the counter and asked her to see some merchandise.

When she pulled out the jewelry from the display case, the man pulled out a gun from his back pocket. The gun is very small and is hard to see in the surveillance video, but the clerk clearly saw the weapon and jumped back. She handed over the jewelry and the suspect made his getaway.

Back in September, the suspect struck another Kevin Jewelers store in the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside. During this incident, police said the suspect walked up to a clerk, told her that he was celebrating his 30th anniversary and wanted to buy a ring for his wife.

When the clerk pulled out a tray of rings, the suspect pulled out a gun. He told the clerk he was dying, and he didn't care what happens to him. The clerk handed the suspect the jewelry and the suspect fled the scene.

Police are confident that the same man is behind both heists. Investigators describe the suspect as not only armed and dangerous but also brazen, because he pulled off these crimes inside crowded malls during the peak foot-traffic hours of 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The suspect is described as a white male, between 50 and 65 years old, about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with gray hair and a clean shaven face. He was seen wearing glasses and a tan newsboy-style hat in both instances.

If you have any information about this suspect, you're urged to contact the Riverside Police Department or the LAPD at (877) LAPD-24-7.