Malvern, PA – May 30, 2013 – Not everyone carries a gun into church, but Pastor Priester does, at least according to the charges leveled against him after he left church and pulled it on a Repo Man in the church parking lot.
Terence Priester, 48, was allegedly in church as an unnamed repossession agent got into Priester’s car to move it out of the parking spot and set up his tow truck. In accordance with the repo companies policy, he called the owner to tell him the car was being taken.
This, of course sent Priester running from the church and started a confrontation with the agent 
which led to Priester pointing a handgun at him after which, Priester then jumped into the Lexus and fled the scene.
Police arriving at the scene were unable to immediately locate Priester so they made contact with him through his cell phone. Shortly after, Priester returned as a passenger in another car.
Priester was taken into custody and now faces charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangering another person, terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime, carrying a firearm without a license and related offenses following the Saturday May 25 incident.
Police initially identified Priester as a pastor at Saint John’s, but according to his church’s he is actually a pastor at Light of the World Ministries International, an independent church that holds worship services at Saint John’s.
ER, wait. The company’s policy is to contact the debtor, exposing the repossessor to this possible scenario? That sounds real smart.
In California,after the collateral has been entered,it would be grand theft auto as well!
I’m with you Mike, what’s that all about?!?!? Repo a pastors car, get it and get out! answer to God later 🙂
Calling him while still at scene ???? That sounds like the agent had a personal beef with ol Rev Runoff..I like how they said it was company policy.If
so it needs changed asap……..
The vehicle wasn’t secured. Sounds like adjuster trained to get the key or lose the fee. Lucky he didn’t lose his life.
My experience with newspapers is that they very rarely if ever get the story right. I assume this article was taken right out of the local paper. I can’t imagine any repo company having a policy that they call the debtor during the repo to let him know that his car was being repoed. It makes no sense. I chalk this one up to newspapers never get it right.
I know of two company’s that do this all the time. They can not make keys so this is the only way to get them. Someone will die because of low fees and keys being included in the fees. IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS!!
I am the agent involved in this story and it is not our policy to call I was unable to Vin the vehicle so I backed up to the unit with my wheel lift down and went into the church and made contact with the debtor to get the keys and verify the vin who would of thought a pastor at a church in a nice area would be packing lesson learned I did not have a grudge or even know the debtor
Mike,
Sorry if I got the story wrong, my resources for information and time to validate information can be a bit limited. We’re all glad you’re safe and wish you the best!
Kevin
I have heard many stories like this one in Houston (about pastors and repo’ing during a church service) and some repo men do call the debtor to say, I have your car.. I’ll let you get your stuff out for the keys.