NYPD: Preacher, wife robbed of $1M in jewelry during sermon

A preacher known for his close friendship with New York City's mayor was robbed of more than $1 million worth of jewelry by armed bandits who crashed his Brooklyn church service just as he was preaching about keeping faith in the face of grave adversity, police said.

Police say three people walked in to the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries when Bishop Miller-Whitehead was giving a sermon. Police said they showed guns and demanded property from Miller- Whitehead and his wife.

The service was being shown on the internet.

Miller-Whitehead is heard asking his flock, "How many of you have lost your faith because you saw someone else die?" moments before the church was robbed.

He dropped to his knees and said, "alright, alright" before a man with a gun entered the frame. The man who was wearing a black face mask approached Miller-Whitehead, who was hiding behind a gold colored lectern, and stuffed the bishop's jewelry into his pockets.

A man dressed in the same clothes is seen heading towards Miller-Whitehead and then running away. Miller-Whitehead said in the video that the robbers ripped his collar off to grab his chain and held a gun to his daughter's face as they stole his wife's jewelry.

The white Mercedes was last seen on Avenue D near the church in Brooklyn. Police said neither Miller-Whitehead nor DosReis-Whitehead were hurt. The girl was also unharmed.

Miller-Whitehead said in the video that he felt a demonic force enter the church and wasn't sure if they were going to shoot the church up or if they were just coming for a robbery No one was hurt, he said.

"When I see them come into the sanctuary with their guns, I told everybody to get out, everybody just get out."

A message was left with a group of people.

Miller-Whitehead was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of identity theft. Miller-Whitehead believes he was wrongly convicted.

The mayor of New York spoke with Miller-Whitehead after the robbery.

Adams said that no one in this city should be the victim of an armed robbery. The criminals involved in the crime will be brought to justice by the NYPD.

Miller-Whitehead thanked the mayor in the video. The church services would go on as planned.

Adams was close to Miller-Whitehead while he was the president of Brooklyn. Miller-Whitehead tried to replace Adams in that post.

Miller-Whitehead made headlines for showing up to a Manhattan police precinct in a Rolls Royce SUV as he tried to negotiate the surrender of a man accused of killing a stranger on a New York City subway train.

The suspect was picked up by police outside the offices of the public defender organization that was representing him, despite Miller-Whitehead telling reporters that he had conversations with Adams.

Miller-Whitehead said he was going to live his life the way God intended.

Miller-Whitehead said it wasn't about him being flashy. It is about me buying what I want to buy. It's my right to purchase what I want.

That's right.

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