String of armed robberies in Irvine, Santa Ana possibly connected

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- Police are searching for an armed robber who they believe hit two businesses in Irvine and Santa Ana Wednesday night.

The two robberies occurred at a 7-Eleven in Irvine and a Marriott hotel in Santa Ana within a span of 20 minutes from each other.

In each incident, the suspect was wearing a black mask and held the employees at gunpoint.

Surveillance video shows a 7-Eleven clerk being confronted by the suspect with a gun. The suspect ran from the incident without any money after the clerk refused.

Video from the other robbery showed the suspect holding up a hotel employee at gunpoint.

Police believe the suspect could be the same man tied to some robberies earlier this week, which occurred within a short distance from one another, including at two other hotels.