News

Actions

Religion and fake guns tie man to Virginia Beach crimes

Posted at 6:56 PM, May 27, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-27 18:56:01-04

Virginia Beach, Va. - Court records obtained by NewsChannel 3 said James Clifton Pree "discussed religious themes" and "used a stick to pretend he had a firearm" in more than one crime.

Virginia Beach police arrested Pree for the May 4th adbuction of a woman at the Holland Shopping Center.  On that Sunday afternoon, police said he forced her into the passenger seat of her own car.  They said he then made her withdraw money from an ATM before he tied her up.

Documents said the victim told police that during the terrifying ordeal, she realized the gun was really "a piece of wood."  The victim also said that when "the suspect was upset he discussed relgious themes."

Records said their invesitgations reveal Pree did the same thing during other crimes.

Police said he was behind a carjacking from August 2013, during which he stole a car from a woman and used it to rob a convenience store on Independence Boulevard.