Police search for ring thief

Newport Beach police are searching for a man who robbed a local jewelry store, making off with rings valued at $33,000 Thursday afternoon, police said.

The robber walked into Charles Barr Jewelers, 1803 Westcliff Drive, and asked to look at several pieces of jewelry, police said.

Manager Ed Cummings was working the counter when the man came in and asked to look at rings for a 10th anniversary gift. After trying on three rings, he swiped them from the counter and made his getaway, Cummings said.

“He said, ‘I have a gun,’ and if I followed him out the door he would shoot me,” Cummings said. “I said, ‘This is not the answer, please don’t do this, I have customers.’ ”

But the robber insisted, saying, “I don’t think you’re hearing me,” Cummings said.

Although the manager never saw a weapon, he indicated that he had a gun when he pointed to his pants pocket.

The suspect is a white man, 45 to 50 years old, 5-foot-10, has a stocky build and short black hair, police said. He was wearing a black shirt and beige shorts.

“He looked clean,” Cummings said. “You wouldn’t suspect him. He was a gentleman, in a sense.”

Detectives have asked for the public’s help in identifying the man.

Anyone with information regarding the identity or location of the suspect is asked to call the department’s public information line at (800) 550-NBPD.

Information can be left anonymously if desired, police said.