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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Kelly-Ann Mills

Bishop robbed at gunpoint losing £830K of jewellery during live-streamed church service

A bishop and his wife were robbed of more than £830 ($1m) of jewellery after gunmen stormed in during the middle of a Sunday morning church service.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead's wedding band, cross and other personal items - worth around £832,000 - were all taken during the robbery at Leader’s of Tomorrow International Ministry in Brooklyn, New York.

Shocking footage captured the moment three gunmen arrived and the bishop quickly got on the floor and shouted at others to get down.

Bishop Whitehead, 44, can be heard saying “alright alright”, seen putting his hands up and then getting down, while one of the masked men walks in front of the camera.

After getting their hands on the goods, the men fled in a white Mercedes Benz getaway car, NYPD said.

The moment the bishop spots the gunmen (ELDER SANDERS/Youtube)

In an Instagram post after the incident, Bishop Whitehead said: “When I see them come into the sanctuary with their guns, I told everybody to get out, everybody just get out.

“I didn’t know if they wanted to shoot the church up or if they were just coming for a robbery.”

The church leader told others to get down (ELDER SANDERS/Youtube)

Mr Whitehead said the men took all of his and his wife’s jewellery as well as items belonging to the church.

In the Instagram post, Mr Whitehead said he tried to chase the men out of the church after they fled.

Many in the congregation had been left traumatised by the incident, including his young daughter.

He was robbed of his jewellery (ELDER SANDERS/Youtube)

“To the women in my ministry, to see tears in your eyes, to see the hurt, and the pain, and the violation.

"Thank you for continuing to trust the mission.”

No-one was injured in the robbery, police said, as they appealed to the public for help.

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