17-year-old charged with robberies, rape in Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH

Virginia Beach Police have arrested a 17-year-old male in connection with a robbery that escalated into a rape early Friday morning in Virginia Beach.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 5, a woman returned to her home in Bayside Arms in the 5100 block of Dandy Court, according to a news release from the Police Department. When she got out of her vehicle, two armed men approached her and demanded her property. One of the men then sexually assaulted her, according to the release.

When another vehicle pulled up nearby, the second man approached the driver, showed his gun and demanded property, police said. He then struck the driver in the head with the gun before both robbers fled.

The 17-year-old suspect was arrested near his residence less than 10 hours after the crimes occurred, police said.

Police believe Friday's robberies may be connected to another that occurred Thursday, said Officer Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman. They're unsure whether four previous robberies are also connected, he said. Police are currently investigating whether or not this suspect was also involved in the previous robberies.

About 12:20 a.m. Thursday, an armed suspect approached a man as he got out of his vehicle at North Beach Apartments in the 4600 block of Downeast Court, according to the release. The robber demanded property and then struck the victim in the back of the head before running away, police said.

The robber stole credit cards, a cell phone and a leather wallet, worth a total of $152, according to a police report. The victim suffered minor injuries, according to the report.

Between Jan. 1 and Friday morning, 12 robberies had been reported in the city's Third Precinct, which encompasses the northwest part of the city.

The 17-year-old suspect in custody, whose identity is not being released because he's a minor, is currently being held in the Virginia Beach Juvenile Detention Center without bond, the release stated. In addition to the rape and robbery charges, he is also being charged with wearing a mask in public and two counts of using of a firearm during the commission of a felony. More charges are pending as other cases are being investigated, police said.

Police say the identity of the second offender is still being sought.

The second man is described as a black male in his late teens or early 20s, between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall and 160 to 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black mask and black clothing.

The Police Department's Robbery Squad and Special Victims Unit are investigating.

Police ask that anyone with information on these crimes call Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).

Kathy Adams, (757) 222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com

Pilot writer Jaedda Armstrong contributed to this report.