NY pastor is robbed during mass and suspects take more than $ 1 million in jewelry

A pastor from New York (USA), known for wearing designer clothes and extravagant jewelry, says he was robbed along with his wife of more than $ 1 million while preaching at his church on Sunday (24).

Police say they received a report that three people entered Leaders of Tomorrow church on Sunday with firearms and removed jewelry that Pastor Lamor Miller-Whitehead, who goes by Bishop, and his wife were wearing. Police said the investigation is “ongoing”.

Part of the reported incident was captured on video from inside the site. A portion of the live stream was obtained by WCBS, an affiliate of CNN before it is removed and shows at least one criminal holding a gun towards the pastor and interrupting his sermon.

“Alright, alright, alright,” Whitehead says in the video, as he raised his hands and lowered himself to the floor. The live stream is no longer available, but Whitehead told WCBS what happened.

“I practically said I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t do anything, because I know they’re coming after me, coming right at me. I don’t want my parishioners to get hurt,’ he said.

“I have women and children there. As I bent down, one went to my wife and took all of her jewelry, and she had the gun in front of my 8-month-old’s face,” the pastor continued.

“I took off my bishop ring and my wedding band and my bishop chain, and I had chains under my robe, and he (burglar) started hitting my neck to see if (there was) anything else – so that means that they knew I have other jewelry,” he said.

Whitehead said there were men with guns pointed at other members at the church door as well. There were about 20 to 25 worshipers present, according to police. “My church is traumatized,” Whitehead said.

The NYPD said it received a report that the suspects took more than $1 million worth of jewelry and then fled the scene on foot and then reportedly got into a white Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

Friendship with Mayor Eric Adams

According to his biography, Whitehead attended New York Theological Seminary and completed his studies with a Certificate in Ministry in Human Services from the Theological Institution of Rising Hope Inc.

In 2013, he founded Leaders of Tomorrow in Brooklyn. His church biography also says he was “adopted as a mentor” by Eric Adams, former president of Brooklyn Borough and current mayor of New York.

“No one in this city should be the victim of armed robbery, least of all our religious leaders and congregants who worship in a House of God,” Adams said in a statement. “The NYPD is investigating this crime and will work tirelessly to bring the criminals involved to justice.”

Whitehead encouraged those responsible to turn themselves in to the police. “I forgive them and I am praying for them, I hope God will deliver them from the mindset at this time,” the pastor said.

The pastor made headlines in June when he said he was involved in trying to negotiate the surrender of a man accused of shooting and killing a Goldman Sachs employee on a New York subway. The police ended up arresting the man before he could voluntarily surrender.

Whitehead’s Instagram account details his extravagant displays of wealth, including Louis Vuitton suits, oversized jewelry and flashy cars. In a video Sunday night, he criticized media headlines that referred to him as “flashy.”

“It’s not about being flashy. It’s about buying what I want to buy,” he said. “It’s my prerogative. If I worked hard for it, I can buy whatever I want.”