Land Park institution Vic’s Ice Cream is broken into, cash stolen

A trio of masked thieves broke into Vic’s Ice Cream and its adjacent cafe early Wednesday morning, damaging the restaurant’s interior and making off with cash.

Vic’s security camera footage shows three men in hoodies, masks and gloves snapping the side of the front door shortly before 5 a.m., general manager David Gilson said. No employees were present at the cafe or parlor in the 3100 block of Riverside Boulevard.

The men broke two internal doors and stole cash from both the ice cream parlor and cafe’s registers before leaving, Gilson said. A neighboring Valero was also broken into a few months ago, and Gilson said he thought the burglars might have been the same.

The Sacramento Police Department responded at 4:51 a.m., confirmed the damage and began canvassing the neighborhood for additional security footage, spokesman Officer Karl Chan said. The investigation remains ongoing.

Vic Zito and Ashley Rutledge co-founded Vic’s Ice Cream in 1947 after returning from World War II service in the Coast Guard. Owner Craig Rutledge, Ashley’s son, expanded its reach and added the cafe in 2014.