San Francisco ice cream shop burglarized twice in one morning

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An ice cream shop in San Francisco was broken into twice the same morning and the owner says much more than cash was taken, costing him thousands of dollars.

SAN FRANCISCO - An ice cream shop in San Francisco was broken into twice the same morning and the owner says much more than cash was taken, costing him thousands of dollars.

Two groups of burglars busted into What's the Scoop Ice Cream Friday located in the Bayview along Third Street near Bancroft Avenue.

"I came in with a bunch of my stuff gone and it really it just it hurt, it hurt more than anything," said owner Anthony Womack. "I was really just disappointed."

Surveillance video shows the first group breaking in about 3 a.m. and making off with the cash drawer and other electronics and equipment.

With the door unlocked, Womack said others walked in about 10 a.m. and helped themselves to the register, point of sale system and kitchen supplies.

"When I reviewed the footage, I recognized one of the people right away," he said. "It just kind of felt violating."

Without fresh cones or clean scoops in sight, a woman appears to use her hands to grab and taste several ice cream flavors in the freezer display case.

Womack said he threw out several containers filled with dozens of gallons of ice cream. In total, he estimates he's lost $20,000 in business supplies and product.

"It was kind of a tipping point for me," said Womack. "It definitely put that thought and those negative feelings in my mind that you know, ‘Do I really want to do this?’"

Womack is 24 years old and grew up in the Bayview neighborhood. A trained audio engineer, he opened the music-inspired spot late last year.

Since being in business, Womack said he's dealt with crime at his store including kids swiping cash from the now missing tip jar, to employees stealing money from the register.

"I don't let a few bad apples ruin my neighborhood," Womack said.

Crime data from the San Francisco Police Department shows nearly 180 burglaries reported in the Bayview this year, compared to 250 last year, at this time. That is a roughly 30% decrease.

Still, stores are closing down and the vacancy rate is increasing across the city.

Police have not yet made any arrests in the burglaries at What's the Scoop.

Womack has invited other business owners and neighbors to his shop this Saturday for a social event in hopes of bringing everyone together to improve relationships and discuss crime-fighting solutions.

"I have to keep going. I have to keep pushing for it and if all fails, at least I can be that example that I tried, and I kept going, and I kept going," he said.

Brooks Jarosz is a reporter for KTVU. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BrooksKTVU.

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