SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police searched Monday for a knife-wielding thief who broke into a pharmacy in Grantville.

A man in his early 20s walked into an open Rite Aid at 6505 Mission Gorge Road around 8:50 a.m. Sunday and proceeded to the closed pharmacy section in the back of the store, San Diego police Sgt. Art Campa said.

He broke into the pharmacy and began taking various items before being confronted by a store employee, according to the sergeant.

On being confronted, the thief pulled out a knife and threatened the employee before fleeing on foot, using a rear door, Campa said.

The employee was not hurt.

Police described the thief as white and clean cut, last seen wearing a white ball cap with dark seams, a dark short sleeved T-shirt with a dark long sleeved shirt underneath, blue jeans and white sneakers.