Bishop Lamor Whitehead praying for arrest in $1 million jewelry robbery at Brooklyn church: "Someone will recognize them"
NEW YORK -- Police hope newly released video will help track down three suspects wanted for robbing a bishop and his wife at gunpoint during a service at their church in Brooklyn.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead told CBS2 he hopes the three suspects will surrender. If they don't, he -- as well as the NYPD -- is hoping someone in the area will recognize the men and come forward.
"I'm excited, and I'm hoping and praying that they catch all three of them," Whitehead told CBS2's Zinnia Maldonado. "I'm sure that the community that they're from, I'm sure that someone will recognize them."
The new images show three men wearing black clothing with their faces covered.
Police say they robbed Bishop Lamor Whitehead and his wife, Bishop Asia DosReis-Whitehead, of $1 million worth of jewelry Sunday in Canarsie.
"We have pictures of the people that have maliciously violated the church and maliciously robbed myself, my wife and the church -- completely violated the church. And I pray that they get captured by the police," Whitehead said Wednesday.
Off-camera, the bishop's wife said a gun was also held to her 8-month-old who was in her arms, while a suspect removed items, including her wedding ring.
"As a mother, it's one of the most traumatic experiences I've been involved in," DosReis-Whitehead said in an Instagram video. "My priority was to secure my children -- not just physically, but emotionally and mentally."
The robbery was captured on the church livestream, showing one man with a gun on the bishop and another removing his jewelry. You then see parishioners scrambling.
Sources told CBS2 there was no security at the time.
"Brooklyn -- that's where my church is -- We're a small town, but we have a big sound, a big mouth. And I believe that someone is going to recognize those pictures," Whitehead said.
The suspects took off along Ramsen Avenue before getting into a white Mercedes Benz, last seen traveling east on Avenue D.
The bishop is now giving the NYPD $50,000 toward a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.