A search was initiated Friday after a claim that a man and a woman had robbed a fast-food restaurant in Santa Maria, but quickly ended when police determined it was an allegation of embezzlement involving a different business in the city. 

Officers from the Santa Maria Police Department were dispatched to a restaurant parking lot on the 2200 block of South Broadway for a report that an armed robbery had just occurred.

The caller reportedly provided a description of the suspects and vehicle, which prompted an alert to other law enforcement agencies. 

The pair reportedly fled with thousands of dollars, according to emergency dispatch reports.

A short time later, law enforcement officers were notified to ignore the alert since police determined it was a false report. 

Police were still sorting out the details, but said the incident appeared to involve a different business in town. 

“It looks more like an embezzlement so far,” Lt. Russ Mengel said, adding that the investigation was ongoing as police were sorting out the details. 

Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story.

— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.