Two men have been arrested in connection to the $1m robbery of a New York City bishop renowned for his lavish jewellery.
Juwan Anderson, 23, and Say-Quan Pollack, 24, are suspects in the 14 July robbery at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn, the Daily Beast reported. The theft was seen by hundreds on social media as bishop Lamor Whitehead, 44, was live streaming his sermon.
The video showed the armed men entering the church and demanding churchgoers, Mr Whitehead and his wife included, to hand over their jewellery. The bishop can then be seen getting down on the floor before the criminals made off with items including Rolex and Cavalier watches, a $25,000 Episcopal ruby, a diamond ring and $25,000 earrings.
According to Fox News, the jewellery has not been recovered and a third suspect, who authorities have not identified, is still at large.
“Everybody that stated that I had something to do with it, all I ask is that you apologize,” Mr Whitehead said on Instagram after the arrests on Wednesday. “Just say ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry, bishop, and may the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry.’”
Mr Whitehead has previously drawn criticism for the lavish jewel collection that he and his 38-year-old wife are known to display, but he has pushed back against the accusation that he is in any way “scamming” his parishioners.
Earlier this month, Mr Whitehead was arrested for a separate incident post-sermon after he grabbed a woman he believed was a threat.
“They lock me up in front of my children, in front of my wife, in front of my church,” Lamar Whitehead, 44, told the New York Daily News in an interview after he’d been released from a holding cell two hours on 19 September.
“They publicly embarrassed me and then they drop all the charges after two hours and apologise to me.”
The bishop says that his awareness was piqued because the women’s demeanour seemed to call back to the same behaviour he’d witnessed this past July from the group of men who robbed him at gunpoint while he was preaching.
