Update: Ice Cream Bandits in Oakland: 80-Year-Old Vendor Robbed at Gunpoint in Daylight Heist

An 80-year-old ice cream vendor named Don Juan experienced the unthinkable while selling his frozen treats in the heart of Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood on July 17, 2023: a daylight armed robbery. The elderly man was held at gunpoint by two men who stole $120 from him.

 

Ice cream man held up near E. 18th & 40th Ave. by armed robbers who take off in Ford Edge. @oaklandpoliceca investigating. 📹: @CitizenApp pic.twitter.com/iQ7cU3vmjc

— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) July 17, 2023

 

Tragically, Juan's ice cream sales provide vital support for his autistic son in Peru who depends on the income for treatment and living expenses via NBC Bay Area. The distraught vendor is now unsure when, or whether, he will be able to continue selling ice cream for his family's sake. Oakland police are investigating the incident.

Details have emerged about the suspects and their vehicle. The thieves approached the victim in a black Ford Edge, with one of them armed with a gun. They took the vendor's belongings while holding him at gunpoint, but thankfully, the victim was not physically harmed. The assailants then left the scene in their vehicle, which had the license plate number 8JJL319, according to footage from the Citizen app.