San Luis Obispo police are looking for a man suspected of robbing the Ralphs grocery store on Madonna Road.
It happened just before 9:30 p.m. on Monday.
Police say when an employee tried to stop the man from stealing several items from the store, the suspect brandished what appeared to be a silver pistol and hit the employee on the head with a glass bottle.
The first officer who arrived at the scene tried to stop someone who matched the description of the suspect but he ran off behind the grocery store.
Police called for help from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, Morro Bay Police Department, and Cal Poly Police Department and set up a perimeter to attempt to contain the suspect. However, despite using a drone and a Sheriff's Office K9 to search the area, they were unable to find the man.
Officers reportedly were able to recover some of the stolen property and the gun, which police say turned out to be a non-functioning replica firearm.
The suspect is described as approximately 6' tall and 160 pounds with a scruffy beard. He was wearing all dark clothing.
Police are asking anyone who can recognize the suspect or has further information about this incident to contact the San Luis Obispo Police Department at (805) 781-7312.
The grocery store employee was reportedly uninjured.
