Picture of the suspect taken from CCTV
Picture of the suspect taken from CCTV footage police handout

Two employees used sex toys to chase an armed robber out of a shop in San Bernardino, California.

Just before Lotions and Lace closed on 14 December, a man entered with his face covered pointing what appeared to be a gun.

"With the gun, he walked in. I just thought he was trying to be funny, to scare us," store employee Amy'told ABC7. "But then I saw the gun and it was like, really? I don't have time for this."

She started shouting at him, and he grabbed her. It was at that point that another employee started throwing sex toys at the robber and he fled, empty handed.

"I think he was a coward," said the store's other employee. "Coming in and trying to get over on two females and not realising that we're pretty feisty."

Police have released CCTV footage of the robbery, including a footage of the man with his mask off outside the store.