A Brooklyn pastor renowned for wearing designer outfits and expensive jewellery has revealed that he and his wife were robbed along with his wife of over $1 million while he was preaching recently at his church.
Police reveal they received a report that no fewer than three people stormed the Leaders of Tomorrow church recently with firearms and removed Pastor Lamor Miller-Whitehead, who goes by Bishop, and his wife’s jewellery.
Police said the investigation is “ongoing.”
Part of the incident reported was captured on footage from inside the church. A portion of the livestream was received by WCBS, an affiliate of CNN before it was deleted and revealed the pastor being held by at least one criminal pointing a gun at the pastor and interrupting his sermon.
As Whitehead raised his hands and lowered himself to the floor in the video, he said: “All right, all right, all right.”
The video has been removed from on the church’s livestream but Whitehead told WCBS what transpired.
He said: “That — ‘all right, all right, all right’ — is pretty much stating that I don’t want, I’m not going to do anything, right, ’cause I know y’all coming for me, y’all coming straight to me. I don’t want my parishioners hurt.
“I got women and children there. As I got down, one went to my wife and took all her jewellery, and had the gun in front of my 8-month-old baby’s face.
“Took off my bishop’s ring, my wedding band and took off my bishop chain, and then I had chains underneath my robe, and he started tapping my neck to see if (there was) anything else — so that means they knew, they watched and they knew that I have other jewellery.”
While talking further, Whitehead said there were also gunmen with firearms raised to deacons at the door. The police said there were about 20 to 25 congregants present.
He said: “My church is traumatized.”
The NYPD disclosed they got a report that the suspects took over $1 million worth of jewellery and then ran away from the church. According to report, they entered a white Mercedes-Benz and were seen driving eastbound on Avenue D.
Whitehead’s bio reveals that he attended the New York Theological Seminary and earned a certificate in Ministry in Human Services from the Theological Institution of Rising Hope Inc. He founded Leaders of Tomorrow Ministry in Brooklyn in 2013.
Also, his church bio says he was “adopted as a mentee” by Eric Adams, the former Brooklyn Borough President and present Mayor of New York.
In a statement, Adams said: “No one in this city should be the victim of armed robbery, let alone our faith leaders and congregants worshipping in a House of God.
“The NYPD is investigating this crime and will work tirelessly to bring the criminals involved to justice.”
Whitehead urged those responsible to report themselves to the police.
He said: “I forgive you and I’m praying for you, you know, and I hope that God delivers you from the mindset of who you are at this time.”
Whitehead and his church have not responded to calls for comment.
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