WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A 2015 Chevy Equinox, stolen in broad daylight, "To me, I felt like the car had vanished," Bishop Barry Washington said.
It was taken from the parking lot of Whole Man Ministries in Winston-Salem.
Washington said he's only had the car for a few weeks, before it was stolen in what he said, was under a minute: 45 seconds to be exact.
A surveillance camera captured it all: the wrecker pulls in, hitches the truck, and quickly leaves.
Washington said he sent an employee out to check the mileage on the truck when she noticed the car was missing.
"She came back out and she said, 'the car is gone…' I said, 'what?' I thought she was joking!"
Making this crime even worse, Washington has been in a wheelchair for 16 years because of an attempted car jacking in 2008, "the bullet came through, hit my shoulder, ricocheted into my spine."
A crime that left him paralyzed.
Then, five years ago, he said someone stole a catalytic converter from another company car, which is why the church put up more than a dozen security signs and cameras out front.
The property is so closely monitored and because the crime happened so quickly, he said this whole thing felt calculated.
"He knew what he was doing and he came with the intent, he saw the vehicle, he came with the intent to take it because the decision was made so quickly, fairly quickly," Washington said.
Washington said if he was to dwell on all of the things that have happened over the years, he would be a mess, so instead, he's focusing on forgiveness.
"Maybe he'll see this footage. Maybe he'll see it and say look, 'I did wrong, they caught me red-handed' and bring the vehicle back," Washington said.
No matter what, he said the suspect will always have a seat at his church.
"Come on down to Whole Man Ministry, we'll forgive you, we'll forgive you," Washington said.