Two giant ice cream cones which flanked a traditional milk bar dating back to the 1970s have been stolen.

The iconic plastic cones, which stood outside East Melbourne General Store on Hotham St, were taken about 2.20am on May 25.

The thieves allegedly struck while shop owner Lisette Malatesta was in hospital and the store was unattended.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

East Melbourne General Store is now missing its beloved ice cream cones. Credit: Lisette Malatesta

They sprayed paint over the CCTV cameras, used a ladder to reach the three-metre height, then cut the power cables connected to the cones with pliers, Malatesta told 7NEWS.com.au.

“It’s just quite outrageous that somebody would do this,” she said.

Malatesta said the cones are more than just decorations, calling them a piece of local history and a symbol of what keeps the traditional milk bar alive in the modern age.

The two cones had stood outside the store since 1974, acting like sentinels and capturing the spirit of a bygone era.

Before 7-Eleven stores and 24-hour supermarkets took over, every suburb had its own milk bar or general store on the corner.

“They were an icon of the local community milk bar,” she said.

Malatesta said the ice cream cones are a nostalgic emblem of the neighbourhood’s milk bar culture. Credit: Lisette Malatesta

“Mine is one of very few that remain in Melbourne today as a proper operating milk bar.”

As milk bars have declined, the cones have become increasingly rare and sought after by collectors.

After learning the cones had been listed and sold online, Malatesta still hopes to recover them.

“Their importance is beyond just financial — it’d be like stealing a cross off a church,” Malatesta said.

Malatesta, who has run the store since 2015, said crime in the area has spiked in recent months.

“I’ve had the store for 10 years, and there’s been more crime and attacks against the store in the last six months than there has been in the last 10 years combined,” she said.

Items from the store’s outdoor area have been stolen, as well as pastries.

She said she is now in regular contact with police.

Regarding the latest theft, police said the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam or CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.