Armed robbers hit two La Jolla shops Thieves robbed two La Jolla stores during the past week — relieving merchants of their goods at gunpoint — in seemingly unrelated cases. At about 5:50 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, a 6-foot-2-inch Hispanic man walked into the RadioShack at 8849 Villa La Jolla Drive wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, police said. The thief asked two sales associates for change, but when a salesperson opened the register, the man allegedly pulled a handgun from his waist, San Diego Police Department detective Gary Hassen said. “He demanded the rest of the money,” said RadioShack manager John Telles. The robber fled on foot, police said. “There were quite a few officers here after the incident,” Telles said. Police launched Copter One, searching the surrounding area for the man, described as weighing 250 pounds with a shaved head. Police continued to investigate the alleged robbery. At about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, a 6-foot Caucasian male walked into Jewelry Passion at 1298 Prospect St. pretending to be a customer, police said. The robber asked to see some rings and then allegedly pulled a handgun from his waistband, ordering the employee to lie down, according to police. Police said the man grabbed several rings from a display case before running away. The employee wasn’t hurt in the jewelry store heist, police said. The man who allegedly stole the jewelry was described as an unshaven white male, in his late twenties to early thirties, about 200 pounds, wearing sunglasses, a Chargers hat, blue jeans, a brown long-sleeve shirt with rolled up sleeves and a large wristwatch. Police continue to investigate both incidents. Pedestrian struck by car on La Jolla Village Drive A 61-year-old woman driving a Toyota sedan struck a 70-year-old male pedestrian crossing La Jolla Village Drive near Genesee Avenue at about 6 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23, police said. The man stepped in front of the woman’s 1983 car, said San Diego Police Department Detective Gary Hassen. She had the right of way, police said. The driver could not stop her car in time, hitting the man and fracturing his leg, police said. Paramedics transported the man to a nearby hospital, police reported. Neurosciences hosts ‘Brain Bee’ High school students from public and private schools all over San Diego County will gather Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Neurosciences Institute for the first “Brain Bee.” The question-and-answer competition will test the students’ knowledge of the brain and its myriad functions, from intelligence and memory to sleep, emotions, movement, stress, aging, sensations and neurological disorders. Representatives from The Salk Institute, The Scripps Research Institute, the University of California, San Diego and The Society for Neuroscience make up the committee coordinating the event. The questions will be from the publication “Brain Facts,” provided to students by the Society for Neuroscience. The winner will represent San Diego County at the National Brain?Bee, which will take place March 14 and 15. The Neurosciences Institute is located at 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive. For information, visit www.nsi.edu.