WATCH: Brooklyn Bishop Robbed of $400K in Jewelry, Including Rolex, During Live Streamed Sermon
A Brooklyn bishop was robbed at gunpoint in a massive jewelry heist that was caught on camera as the sermon was being live streamed.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead was in the middle of delivering his sermon to the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie when armed and masked gunmen entered.
“All right, all right,” Whitehead can be heard saying as he gets to his knees and then drops completely to the floor. The masked gunmen can be seen passing the camera multiple times.
Local media reports put the total amount taken from Whitehead at about $400,000. Good Day New York reported the bishop’s Rolex was among the items taken.
Whitehead took to Instagram after the robbery and said he feared the thieves would target his congregation if he did not comply. Approximately 100 people were in attendance, he said, including his wife and child.
“Took my watch, took my jewelry, took my bishop’s ring, took my wedding band, and then they took my bishop’s cross,” Whitehead recounted.
There were a total of “three or four” gunmen, the bishop added.
The bishop has been in the news plenty before. He made an unsuccessful run for Brooklyn Borough President, and he also made headlines this year when he announced he was trying to negotiate the surrender of Andrew Abdullah after the fatal shooting of Daniel Enriquez on a train. Whitehead even drove a Rolls Royce to the 5th Precinct to make efforts to negotiate the surrender.
The Rolls Royce-driving Whitehead has grown a reputation for being a “flashy” bishop, something he commented on when addressing the recent robbery and the massive take the thieves got away with.
“It’s my prerogative to purchase what I want to purchase,” he said. “If I work hard for it, I can purchase what I want to purchase.”
Speaking to CBS New York, the bishop said he believes he was specifically targeted over the Abdullah-related press.
“The media called me the bling-bling bishop. They had my Rolls Royce car all over, everywhere, and I feel that played a part in this,” he said.
He added that all pastors should be able to get permits for pistols to prevent potential future robberies.
“No one in this city should be the victim of armed robbery, let alone our faith leaders and congregants worshiping in a House of God. The NYPD is investigating this crime and will work tirelessly to bring the criminals involved to justice,” a spokesperson for New York City Mayor Eric Adams told CBS about the incident.
Watch above via CBS New York
