Police in East China have arrested a man accused of robbing a jewelry store with a toy gun.

The suspect, identified as Zhou, 27, is alleged to have stolen more than 100 pieces of gold jewelry worth at least 1 million yuan ($161,000).

According to newspaper Dushi Kuaibao, the robbery targeted Yuewang Jewelry Store in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, on Nov 11.

Zhou was later arrested in a hotel in Anshan, Liaoning province. All the jewelry has been returned, police said on Monday.

The suspect, a Bohai University graduate from Haicheng in Liaoning, had reportedly been working for a company in Anhui province at the time of the robbery.

Since the beginning of his year, at least seven robberies have taken place in jewelry stores in Zhejiang.

Most stores had no alarms or security measures, the report said.