Robberies reported at 2 Irvine hotels within minutes of each other

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A string of hotel robberies in Orange County has prompted Irvine police to investigate whether the crimes are connected.

The first robbery happened at 12:42 a.m. at the La Quinta Inn on Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine on Monday.

The suspect came in, armed with a gun and demanded money.

Just 12 minutes later, a masked man with the same description, caught on security camera, ran into the Marriott Hotel on Irvine Center Drive -- also armed and demanded money and paper documents.

No injuries have been reported.