Armed robbers take $10 million in jewelry from Kardashian West in Paris
PARIS » Armed robbers forced their way into a private Paris residence where Kim Kardashian West was staying, tied her up and locked her in a bathroom before making off with more than $10 million worth of jewelry, police officials said today.
A spokeswoman for Kardashian West said the reality TV star, who was in Paris attending fashion week shows, was badly shaken but physically unharmed.
She left Paris this morning a few hours after the incident, and flew to Teteboro Airport in New Jersey. From there she traveled in a motorcade to her apartment building in downtown Manhattan, where there was a heavy security presence.
Paris police are hunting for five suspected assailants after the incident, which has raised new concerns about security in the French capital after a string of deadly extremist attacks.
The thieves entered the 19th-century luxury residence in Paris’ chic eighth district after the concierge let them in around 2:30 a.m. local time, according to two police officials. Handcuffed and at gunpoint, the concierge led them to the starlet’s flat.
The robbers tied up Kardashian West and locked her in the bathroom before escaping on bikes, the officials said. They were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about ongoing investigations.
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The officials said the five stole a jewelry box containing valuables worth 6 million euros ($6.7 million) as well as a ring worth $4.5 million. In a message to The Associated Press, the Paris prosecutor’s office said that only two of the five suspects forced their way into the apartment.
Kardashian’s stylist was also in the residence at the time, and alerted police, but Kardashian’s bodyguard was not present according to the prosecutor’s office.
The couple’s two children, 3-year-old daughter North and 10-month-old son Saint, were not with Kardashian West when the robbery happened. It’s unclear if they accompanied her on the trip to France.
Police said the actress’ family was placed under police protection at the George V hotel after the incident. Her sister Kendall Jenner appeared with Kardashian at Paris fashion shows in recent days and often appears on the catwalk herself.
Kardashian’s husband, Kanye West, abruptly ended his performance at the Meadows Music and Arts Festival in New York on Sunday night.
“I’m sorry, family emergency, I have to stop the show,” West told the audience.
Kardashian West has the habit of showing her jewels and whereabouts in her social media, including in recent days when she posted pictures of her attending fashion week shows. A few days ago, she also flashed a big ring on Twitter and Instagram
Kardashian West was ambushed last week by a serial celebrity accoster who attempted to assault her as she was entering a restaurant. She was also attacked outside of a Paris fashion week show in 2014. She wasn’t hurt in either incident.
Paris has been a special place for Kardashian West and her husband, who spent the weekend there before marrying in Florence in May 2014.
With France under a state of emergency following extremist attacks that left more than 200 people dead in the last 20 months, news of the robbery immediately sparked criticism from political opponents of the Socialist government.
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, a right-wing member of Paris council and a potential candidate in next year’s presidential election, said the robbery was proof that “there is a general emergency on security” in the French capital.
“Regardless of all the very expensive advertising we do to promote ‘I Love Paris,’ tourism and the image of Paris, all these ads have been brutally canceled by the Kim Kardashian case,” Kosciusko-Morizet told Europe 1 radio.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, a close ally of Socialist president Francois Hollande, condemned the assault and said Kardashian West will “always be welcome in Paris.”
Hidalgo said she is confident police will quickly identify and arrest the suspects and that the “very rare” incident “in no way calls into question police work or security of public space” in Paris.
Hidalgo also urged politicians across the spectrum not to exploit the incident for political gains in the lead-up to the presidential election.
“In a complicated context for tourism, in which boosting attendance must be the priority of all, using this incident for polemical purposes would amount to directly harming the tourism sector, which represents 500,000 jobs” in the Paris region, Hidalgo said.
29 responses to “Armed robbers take $10 million in jewelry from Kardashian West in Paris”
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Paste stolen or robbery a sham to collect insurance and publicity stunt? Celebrities have done that before!
exactly what I thought. Kanye must be shy on funds, so needs the insurance
Anything for publicity!! That’s the Kargarbagian mojo!!! Nothing more and nothing less.
TV stars? Painted artificial silicon faces . Their program is for the fool population.
Do we care? Best to ignore them.
Eh, Kanye get plenty $$$. Let him buy her some more so she can “show off” on social media.
Where’s the selfie she usually takes??
good point. she never seems to be without her camera. telling me she didnt snap any photos of the thieves?
Jewelry to hot to pawn?…..maybe all fake jewelry?…..is it insured for theft?….iwannaknow.
All a publicity stunt. The only twist to the story is that Kim didn’t know what was happening. Kanye set her up. Paid these thugs and everyone involved, and told them not to hurt her.
Robbing someone anyone for that matter is bad. However, It’s just a drop in the pocket for the Kardashian’s. I’m sure they will recover quickly and have every jewelry stolen replaced.
Same robber cartel that hit up Lochte in Rio? 🙂
Good one!
France has often taken the neutrality side when dealing with terrorism and often criticizing the US for its aggressive stance. with the recent spate of attacks they may now reconsider.
it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person……
Bet you she was raped too. I mean, she’s in her room alone, probably romping around half naked, and robbed at gun point? C’mon don’t say that didn’t cross your mind. And if she was raped, no way she would say anything to the police so no need do an examination to verify she wasn’t. She save this for one of her episodes.
Im glad you got to fantasize about rape. But any geoup that would attempt a job like this would be pros who could stick their task and get out.
Is that you, Donald?
She probably had blood coming out of her….you know what…
Another Kar-trashian scam!
I am not sure–but I think the world would be a better place if all the kardashians’ were bound and gagged–at least for a little while.
No security.. that’s shaddy
Only fools travel with substantial and costly jewelry. The average traveler knows this but then this isn’t an average visiting tourist. It only proves the average person are wiser and smarter. Looks, wealth and fame can easily disappear but good sound character and benevolent virtues are lasting and thieves proof!
I agree oh Wizard of Moa…
Anything to keep her in the spotlight……she is such a joke!
Whyjwould. 10 million dollars let alone $100,000 worth of anything with you without security? Kim beter learn from that swimmer lies don’t pay and may backfire
1. Who cares about the Kakashians. 2. Leave your valuable @ home, idiot. 3. Needs a motorcade from New Jersey to Manhattan? How many red lights did they run…Get a grip
Will this incident be on their reality show…..
Nobody on this board likes her and yet she made 53 m. This year. What the heck? This is a messed up world