California man arrested for crucifix attack

A California man attacked several victims with stolen crucifixes during an early morning rampage that ended with his arrest on robbery, burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon charges, cops report.

According to the Ventura Police Department, Forrest Brantley, 35, broke into the gift shop of a Spanish mission early Thursday morning and stole a pair of crucifixes.

Brantley, seen at right, then attempted to rob a victim of their phone in the mission’s parking lot. “When the victim refused to give Brantley the phone, Brantley hit that victim with one of the crucifixes,” police charge.

Brantley then began walking down Ventura’s Main Street “and did the same thing to two more victims, striking them with the crucifix,” cops reported. He subsequently broke the car window of a 75-year-old man who was seated inside the vehicle and “struck the man, causing him injury.”