Suspect arrested for break-in at Betty Rae’s Ice Cream in River Market: Kansas City police

Police arrested a person Wednesday who they said was suspected of burglarizing the Betty Rae’s Ice Cream shop in Kansas City’s River Market earlier this week.

Captain Jake Becchina, with the Kansas City Police Department, confirmed the person was arrested in Kansas City, Kansas, and on social media the department said meth was found at the property where the arrest occurred.

Becchina said details of the investigation were not yet public, and said police planned to work with prosecutors Thursday as they consider charges.

“Detectives have poured time and effort into this investigation, as they have with the investigations of other small businesses that criminals have preyed upon,” the department said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“The work continues, and the commitment to seek justice by our detectives and officers is steadfast. The suspect’s involvement in other crimes is currently under investigation. Once they submit a case file, charges will be pending,” police said.

The break-in was the second at the Betty Rae’s River Market location in about a month.

Owner and chief executive officer Matt Shatto said earlier this week the most recent burglary occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday, and in that incident a man broke out a window with a rock and left with a safe and a couple thousand dollars in cash. In the earlier break-in last month, a burglar entered through the location’s back door and stole cash, a cooler, peanuts and pints of ice cream, he said.

Shatto, who also owns Shatto Milk Company, has been vocal in his criticism of city leadership in the wake of the break-in’s. Over the last month, he and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas have sparred in public posts on social media, going back and forth over crime in the city.

Shatto says the incidents have him rethinking the future of the River Market shop.