Winston-Salem pastor’s car stolen from church parking lot

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A local pastor is sharing his shock with FOX8 after learning someone stole his vehicle from the parking lot of the church he preaches at in the middle of the day.

It’s a moment Pastor Barry Washington had to see on surveillance video to believe.

Last Thursday right before noon, a thief rolled up in a wrecker to the Whole Man Ministries Church Parking lot, hitched Washington’s 2015 Chevy Equinox and rolled away in less than a minute.

While the Winston-Salem pastor sat inside his church off of old Lexington Road, Washington says he had just asked a friend to go check on his car moments before it was stolen.

“I sent someone out to record the miles that were on the vehicle. They brought it into me. I put it on the title. They turned back out to go and look at the vehicle, and the vehicle was gone,” Washington said.

Washington says he bought the car two weeks ago before it was stolen.

“You feel violated. You know what I mean?” Washington said.

Washington says this isn’t the first time someone tried to steal his vehicle.

In 2008, someone tried to carjack him in High Point which is the reason he now uses a wheelchair.

“I don’t think they were trying to shoot me, but as a result of them pointing the gun, I hit the gas. I wasn’t going to stick around when he did that. His hand hit the side of the car. The bullet shot, hit my shoulder, ricochetted into my spine,” Washington said.

While Washington is frustrated by what happened, he says he’s praying for the thief.

“I would tell the young man, ‘I forgive you. I understand that we make decisions that are not good decisions.’ I would hope that he would bring the vehicle back and apologize, and I would leave it at that,” Washington said.

Washington said if the thief is caught, he’ll let the charges stand.

If you have information on this theft, contact Winston-Salem police.

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