Crime & Safety

Man Steals Woman's Cash After Praying Over It for Good Fortune

Fredericksburg police are investigating a fraud report that involved a bizarre prayer and theft from a man in a parade hat.

At first, it seemed like a harmless offer: Let me pray over your cash and it will bring you good fortune.

But for a local woman who was in the parking lot of on July 2, her good fortune never came and she was left with an envelope filled with pieces of paper.

Fredericksburg Police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the victim reported the incident to police on Wednesday, nine days after it happened in the parking lot of Lowe's, at 1361 Carl D Silver Parkway. Bledsoe said a black man with a heavy accent asked her if she knew about locations of churches in the area. He then asked her if he could hold any cash she had so that he could pray over it to bring her good fortune, Bledsoe said.

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"The victim handed the suspect a quantity of cash," Bledsoe said. "After the suspect gave the envelope of money back to the victim and left the scene, the victim discovered that the currency in the envelope had been replaced by pieces of paper."

The suspect is about 6-feet tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a "parade cap."

The following crimes are in the Thursday police log:

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Larceny:

A resident reported that the battery was stolen from his scooter sometime between 4:20 p.m. Wednesday and Tuesday in the 400 block of Princess Elizabeth Street.

The owner reported that  two containers, each holding a large quantity of loose change, were stolen from the front counter sometime between 3-4:15 p.m. on Wednesday at Baker's Shoe Repair on 2374 Plank Road.

Vandalism:

An employee reported that graffiti was found painted on an exterior wall at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 905 Princess Anne St. on July 6 and it was reported to police on Wednesday.


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