AA Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Surveillance video shows the moment a suspect crashed into a toy and hobby store in Sacramento County on Monday morning to steal from it.

However, things did not exactly go according to plan for the suspected thief.

Just after 4 a.m., the alarm went off at R/C Country Hobbies on Micron Avenue west of Bradshaw Road, according to store manager Joe Raczkowski, who said he got there about four minutes later.

He arrived to find a car in the front of the store with windshield wipers on but no driver inside.

“He was definitely trying to break in,” Raczkowski said.

Store surveillance cameras captured the crash as the car reversed right through the main entrance.

Then the suspect got out of the driver's seat and left to get one more thing: a trash can.

Recommended

Excitement for UC Davis football games provides downtown businesses with a boost

Raczkowski, who watched the burglary unfold on video, said the thief used the trash can to gather up goods to steal.

“I’ve got expensive chargers and batteries and controllers all in these cases, and that's kind of what was all over the floor and all messed up,” Raczkowski said.

When the thief was ready to make the big getaway, though, he found himself trapped. The car could not smash through the security gate to drive out. So, he had to walk out instead, leaving behind the stolen car and evidence, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

“That vehicle was actually reported stolen the second of September. It was involved in another business burglary down in south Sacramento on Savings Place,” said Sgt. Amar Gandhi with the sheriff's office.

He said deputies are still trying to track down the burglar.

Meanwhile, R/C Country Hobbies has been fielding phone calls and text messages from loyal, concerned customers.

“That’s what makes a place like this awesome. While you have customers, you also have customers that are like family,” Raczkowski said.

The store still had to go through its inventory to confirm exactly how much was stolen, but Raczkowski estimated it may have amounted to anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000.

| More National News Below |Americans hurt in Mexico border town shooting

Epoch Casino, a new card room and restaurant planned for the former Magnolia House Casino space in Rancho Cordova, is expected to begin operating soon.

The business is planned for an approximately 8,500-square-foot space at 11275 Folsom Blvd. in Rancho Cordova and will feature a 13-table card room, full bar and restaurant serving steaks, seafood and seasonal dishes, according to its website. Table games will include baccarat, pai gow, blackjack and poker.

"Right now, we have a tentative opening date of Oct. 2, but that is all dependent on the California Department of Justice," said Kenneth Hom, casino manager for Epoch Casino. "The restaurant can be operational already but we are trying to open both at the same time."

View Slideshow 4 photos

Epoch Casino is nearing an opening at 11275 Folsom Blvd. in Rancho Cordova.

The California Gambling Control Commission issued a temporary card room business license to Epoch Casino last November that authorizes the casino to operate up to 11 tables at any given time.

As a condition of the temporary license, which is valid through October 2024, the business must present the Department of Justice's Bureau of Gambling Control with a current and valid business license issued by the city of Rancho Cordova, in addition to documentation showing the designated chips-in-use account has been established. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said a site visit and review of the site is not required prior to opening.

Maria Chacon Kniestedt, communications and public affairs director for Rancho Cordova, said the city issued a special business license for Epoch Casino in January.

Epoch Casino's CEO Xiaodong Wang also holds a registration with the California Gambling Control Commission as an owner of a company called Blue Ocean Sky LLC, which is a third-party provider of proposition player services. Licensed third-party providers of proposition player services are essentially hired by gambling establishments to provide players to fill open slots in card rooms.

The Rancho Cordova building was last occupied by Magnolia House Casino, which opened a restaurant in the space in 2018 before expanding to include casino operations a year later. The casino operation was shut down by the state in 2020 over allegations that the card room had broken state gambling law regarding its finances, and that it didn't cooperate with the Bureau of Gambling Control's investigation.

The building is more than a century old. Prior to Magnolia House Casino, restaurant Fire Rock Grill operated at the site from 2014 to 2017.

Hom said Epoch Casino has hired 110 employees so far and expects to hire a total of around 130 people. Details regarding available positions and updates on an opening date will be available on Epoch Casino's website, he said.

Nestled in the heart of Sacramento County, Rancho Cordova is a hidden gem that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and vibrant cultural experiences. From world-class parks to fantastic restaurants and unique attractions, this city has something for everyone. In this article, we'll explore the benefits of living in Rancho Cordova and why it's a great place to visit.

Outdoor Recreation

Rancho Cordova is home to some of the best outdoor recreation opportunities in California. The city boasts a wealth of natural resources, including the American River, which runs through the heart of the city. Residents and visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, such as hiking, biking, kayaking, and fishing. The American River Parkway, which stretches 32 miles from Sacramento to Folsom, offers stunning views of the river, as well as access to several parks, such as William B. Pond Recreation Area, River Bend Park, and Nimbus Dam Recreation Area.

Family-Friendly Attractions

Rancho Cordova is a great place to raise a family, with plenty of family-friendly attractions to enjoy. The city is home to the Sacramento Children's Museum, which offers interactive exhibits and activities for children of all ages. The museum features a water play area, a miniature city, a medical center, and a grocery store, among other exhibits. Another popular attraction is the Aerospace Museum of California, which houses a collection of historic aircraft, as well as exhibits on space travel and aviation.

Unique Dining Experiences

Rancho Cordova is a foodie's paradise, with a diverse range of restaurants offering unique dining experiences. For those who love Italian cuisine, check out Bella Familia Wood Fired Pizza, where you can enjoy delicious wood-fired pizzas and other classic Italian dishes. If you're in the mood for something more exotic, try Anatolian Table, which serves authentic Turkish cuisine. For a taste of the South, head over to Mama Sue's Soul Food Kitchen, where you can enjoy classic Southern dishes such as fried chicken, mac and cheese, and collard greens.

World-Class Parks

Rancho Cordova is known for its world-class parks, which offer a variety of activities for all ages. Hagan Community Park, for instance, boasts an extensive network of trails, picnic areas, and playgrounds, as well as sports facilities such as basketball courts, soccer fields, and softball diamonds. Other popular parks in the area include Stone Creek Park, which features a splash pad and a dog park, and Community Park, which offers a skate park and a BMX track.

Unique Local Businesses

Rancho Cordova is home to a variety of unique local businesses that offer one-of-a-kind experiences. For example, if you're a fan of escape rooms, check out Enchambered, which offers immersive and challenging escape rooms for all ages. If you're looking for a unique way to explore the city, book a ride with Sac Brew Bike, a pedal-powered beer tour that takes you to some of the best local breweries and taprooms in the area.

Rancho Cordova is a hidden gem that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and vibrant cultural experiences. From world-class parks to fantastic restaurants and unique attractions, this city has something for everyone. Whether you're a resident or a visitor, Rancho Cordova is a great place to explore, relax, and enjoy all that California has to offer.

Recommended Real Estate Professionals near

San Francisco Bay Area

Does your business rank among the best in California?

nominate a business

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. —

Paul and Kate Carroll haven't spent this past year of their retirement quite as they'd planned.

Paul hasn't done any woodworking in the last year. Kate hasn’t used her oil painting studio.

Instead, the Carrolls have been tied up doing around-the-clock homework on proposed warehouse development projects in the works on the roads surrounding their Rancho Cordova neighborhood.

Originally proposed as roughly 1.6-million square feet of warehouse space peppered throughout the Stone Creek community, residents say the projects would lead to roadway wear-and-tear, so-called light pollution late into the night and traffic congestion from hundreds of potential truck trips on roads around their neighborhood.

“Every five to six minutes you're gonna see a semi going up and down Zinfandel,” Paul Carroll said.

Among the most pressing of their concerns is how air quality will be affected by the sheer volume of trucks associated with the warehouse developments.

“I have lung issues, and for me, the pollution will drive me out of this area,” Kate Carroll said.

On Monday of this week, there was a setback for citizens who thought they'd won a small victory against one of the warehouses called "the Logisticenter."

The city of Rancho Cordova was facing a threat of costly litigation by developer Dermody Properties if it did not follow a decades-old development agreement for the land.

So, based on recommendations from internal and external legal experts, the city needed to walk back a vote it took at a meeting in March denying the Logisticenter project.

“If a $100 million judgment were to be decided against the city, it would significantly alter the city's financial position for the next one to two decades,” said the city’s administrative services director, Kim Juran Karageorgiou, about the potential price tag on damages the city would incur if sued by the developers.

Community members expressed frustration about the city's hands being tied.

“So what Dermody is saying is, let us build our warehouses, or we will bankrupt your city,” Paul Carroll said.

The Carrolls said now they're just left with one hope for any future developments that may pop up around them.

“That the developer will work with the community rather than fight with what the community wants,” said Kate Carroll.

KCRA 3 asked developer Dermody Properties to address community concerns about emissions, traffic and the large-scale nature of the warehouses proposed or for a comment that would help people better understand how its proposed projects will take shape.

The company sent a statement that reads: "Dermody Properties is happy with the Rancho Cordova City Council's decision to reconsider the project on Bear Hollow Drive and to form a design review committee for the project on Zinfandel Drive."

Meanwhile, there was news some residents found encouraging at Monday's meeting.

The Rancho Cordova City Council announced that it's purchasing over 40 acres of land from Elliott Homes in an effort to slow the number of warehouse projects going in.

That nearly $15-million deal is expected to be finalized within about a month.

Dermody Properties is also involved in another distribution center project in El Dorado Hills that has faced a backlash.

| MORE LIKE THIS | El Dorado Hills distribution center to be decided by county planning commission after backlash

Recommended

The latest rain totals and paths for Hilary

RANCHO CORDOVA — A company on the cutting edge of computer chip design is announcing it is moving its global headquarters to the Sacramento region.

The City of Rancho Cordova is celebrating the announcement of the new business moving to town.

"These are well-paying, high-paying jobs coming to the community," said Micha Runner, Rancho Cordova city manager.

Solidigm is a technology company that designs flash memory chips used by some of the biggest names in the high-tech sector.

"Microsoft, Amazon, Dell, HP, all of those companies use our technology to store their data," said Solidigm COO Ellen Doller.

Last fall, the company announced it was opening up its research and development labs in a building that is now under construction along White Rock Road. Now, company leaders say its global headquarters will also be moving to the city into an office building next door.

"We're bringing new people. We're bringing college graduates in now that we have a home," Doller said.

"I think what that means is much of their corporate investment, much of their growth lots of times happens where those headquarters are," Runner said.

So just how many new jobs will this create in Rancho Cordova?

"About 1,000 of our employees are going to be located here," Doller said.

The company is also hoping to land federal funding from the Biden administration's CHIPS and Science Act, which is designed to improve national security by reducing dependence on foreign microprocessor production.

"We're going to try really hard to get our piece of that pie," Doller said.

Business leaders hope it will provide a big boost to the local economy.

"It's going to add value to your community from the standpoint they're going to acquire housing, they're going to send their kids to your school, so these engineers produce a lot of revenue," said Barry Broome of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.

And it could be another step in creating a new high-tech hub that will attract even more businesses to the region.

"If everything falls into place, we could be the top semiconductor market in California," Broome said.

Administrative staff will be moving into the headquarters building beginning this week, and the research and development space is expected to be opening later this year.

Elizabeth Klinge

Elizabeth Klinge anchors the CBS13 News weeknights.

Twitter Facebook