What do Simon Cowell, Kim Kardashian, and Rita Ora have in common? They have all been robbery victims. When you see pictures of celebrities online or on their social media pages, they always show off luxury goods from jewelry to purses. Unfortunately, they are walking targets for thieves, and it isn’t uncommon to hear about celebrities being robbed.
While it’s easy to think celebrities don’t have to deal with the scary parts of life, their security teams can’t always protect them from robbers. Although being in the limelight has its perks, there are many downsides to people knowing your every move. Find out which of your favorite celebrities have been the victims of these crimes and what they have lost.
Kim Kardashian Thought She Was Going to Die
In the past, Kim Kardashian has not been shy about showing off her designer clothing and millions of dollars of jewelry. She took pictures with her 15-carat diamond engagement ring that was worth about $4 million. However, today, she barely wears any flashy jewelry because of her traumatic robbery in Paris.
While attending Paris Fashion week in 2016, Kardashian was robbed by five men who got into her hotel while she was asleep. They blindfolded her, bound her ankles and wrists, and held her at gunpoint. She thought she was going to die but managed to get away physically unharmed. Unfortunately, the thieves stole $10 million in jewelry, including her ring. None of it has been found.
A$AP Rocky’s Sister Opened the Door for the Robbers
In May 2017, A$AP Rocky’s sister was staying at his home when three armed men approached her outside the house. They threatened her to let them in the house, and fearing for her life; she opened the door. They asked her to open the safe, but she didn’t know the code, so they tried to steal the entire safe but could not carry it beyond the sidewalk and left it behind.
Although they couldn’t carry the safe, the robbers still managed to get away with approximately $1.5 million in jewelry and other items. A$AP Rocky wasn’t home at the time, but police don’t think he was a specific target. The robbers probably found a wealthy neighborhood and picked the most vulnerable home. Luckily, his sister was left unharmed.
Miley Cyrus Needs Better Security Measures
One can only hope that Miley Cyrus has stepped up the security at her home after being robbed three times. In 2013 and 2014, Cyrus was on tour when robbers targeted her home. During the first incident, Cyrus lost about $100,000 in personal items and jewelry. Luckily, she wasn’t home, but they returned the following year and stole more jewelry and her brand-new Maserati.
After the robbery in May 2014, her home was hit for a third time in December 2014. This time, a thief stole more jewelry and personal items belonging to her and her brother. She wasn’t home during any of the robberies. Fortunately, the police were able to find and recover her car and other items, and they caught three of the robbers.
Kirsten Dunst Just Missed the Thieves
While Kirsten Dunst was in New York filming How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, she was staying at the SoHo Grand Hotel. People knew where she was staying because of paparazzi photos, so she became the target of a robbery. Just minutes after leaving her hotel with her co-star and assistant, burglars managed to get into her suite.
The robbers took a $13,000 handbag, her iPod, and some identification cards. Security footage showed the break-in happening shortly after she left. Therefore, if she had stayed any longer, she probably would have run into the thieves. At least she wasn’t hurt during the incident, and everything was replaceable. The robbers were probably upset she didn’t have more expensive items.
Matthew McConaughey Learned His Lesson
During a surfing trip to Nicaragua in 2008, Matthew McConaughey and his friends went out partying one night. McConaughey got so wasted that his friends had to physically carry him back to his hotel room later that night. However, they were also slightly drunk, so they accidentally left McConaughey’s door unlocked when they put him to sleep.
Because his door was unlocked, thieves entered his hotel room and stole the star’s cell phone and $2,000. It wasn’t much, but they could have hurt him while he was asleep. Surprisingly, McConaughey didn’t report the robbery because he considered it a lesson learned about getting too drunk in a foreign country.
Teenagers Stole Queen Latifah’s Car
While sitting in the passenger seat of her Mercedes-Benz in Harlem on July 17, 1995, Queen Latifah was held at gunpoint. Two people approached her vehicle and told her to get out of her car. Everyone in the car agreed to get out, but one of the robbers got nervous and shot her security guard as he was exiting the car.
The carjackers sped off in her car as Latifah hailed a cab to take her security guard to the hospital. The two men were actually teenagers, and they were caught in Queens. A year after the incident, they received seven to 21 years in prison. Latifah felt scared to be alone at night after the frightening experience.
Kate Moss Was Asleep When Her Home Was Robbed
In May 2010, Kate Moss was asleep in her London home when two men broke in to steal her art. They scaled the wall surrounding her home and smashed their way inside. The two men got away with three expensive art pieces, including a portrait by Banksy worth about $115,000.
Fortunately, one of the robbers was found and arrested. However, the police didn’t recover the stolen artwork or the other robber. While it could have been much worse, the artwork was special to her, and she didn’t feel safe in her home after the incident.
Rod Stewart Has Really Bad Luck
Throughout the years, Rod Stewart has had horrible luck with his fancy cars. In April 1982, Stewart was held at gunpoint while out with his daughter in Los Angeles. The robbers got away with his 1977 Porsche, which was estimated to be worth $50,000 at the time.
The second carjacking took place in 2004 when a disgruntled employee took off with his Dodge Viper from Stewart’s home in Florida. He wasn’t around during the incident, but he probably started locking up his cars more carefully after that. The police couldn’t return his cars.
Simon Cowell’s Security Guard Was in the Bathroom When Robbers Came
As Simon Cowell slept in his Holland Park home, his security guard stepped away to use the bathroom for a minute in December 2015. Darren February broke into Cowell’s home when the security guard left his post and took jewelry and two passports.
February was arrested after his DNA was found on gloves left behind at Cowell’s house. He also left a handprint on a wall as he escaped the property. February was sentenced to eight years in prison for an unrelated crime just ten days after the incident. He was charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Paris Hilton Was the First “Bling Ring” Victim
Between 2008 and 2009, a group of teenagers known as the “Bling Ring” broke into celebrity homes in the area around Calabasas, California. One of the first homes they hit was Paris Hilton’s mansion, where they stole $3 million in cash and personal items. However, that wasn’t the last time they targeted her.
Because they got away with it the first time, the group of teens returned to Hilton’s home on five different occasions, stealing more cash, clothing, and other valuables. After the incidents, Hilton locked up her essential clothing and personal items in a storage unit. She probably started locking her doors too.
Kourtney Kardashian’s Staff Stole From Her
During an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian told her sister Kim that she and then-boyfriend Scott Disick were robbed by a staff member. Kardashian started noticing that electronics and large sums of money were disappearing randomly, and she became suspicious.
According to reports, the staff member stole $5,200 from under Kardashian’s nose. When she commented on the situation, she said, “I obviously can’t change what happened, but like anything in life, I believe that this is a big learning lesson.” She must have so much money that she barely noticed anything was missing.
Someone Tried to Take John Legend’s Luggage
When John Legend landed at John F. Kennedy airport in New York, he went to collect his luggage like any other passenger. However, when he got to baggage claim, his Louis Vuitton bag was missing. Someone took his bag, which contained a pair of Cartier cuff links worth about $30,000.
Luckily for Legend, the airport police caught the man who stole the bag, and his valuables were returned. Legend testified against the man during the week-long trial, and he faced up to seven years in prison. The 2017 incident made Legend more cautious about his luggage.
Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr Were Other Bling Ring Victims
Besides Paris Hilton, the Bling Ring also robbed the home of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr on July 13, 2009. One of the Bling Ring members wanted Kerr’s lingerie because she was a Victoria’s Secret model at the time. The group of teens got away with $500,000 worth of high-end clothing and other items.
Some of the items stolen from Bloom and Kerr included Bloom’s Rolex collection and Louis Vuitton luggage. A few of the teens went back to their house a second time to steal artwork before one of them moved to their father’s home in Las Vegas. It was like they wanted a parting gift before leaving.
Julianne Moore’s Home Was Burglarized While She Was in Canada
When Julianne Moore was away filming the 2012 remake of Carrie, about $127,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from the home that she shared with her husband and two children. Unfortunately, no one was caught for the crimes, and none of her personal items were returned.
During the time of the robbery, Moore’s home was under construction. Therefore, between 15 to 25 construction workers had access to her home during that time. None of them were found guilty, but it made her more cautious about who worked in her home. Luckily, she wasn’t home, and her family was safe too.
Over $1 Million Was Stolen From Beyonce
Beyonce had a few storage units rented by her production company, Parkwood Entertainment. She kept valuable handbags, jewelry, and clothing in these, and in 2021 the units were robbed on two separate occasions. They need to put a better lock on those units and amp up security.
Authorities told TMZ that the lockers contained $1 million worth of stolen luxury handbags and dresses. The robbers also stole items belonging to Beyonce’s stylist. No arrests have been made related to the case, but we hope she protects her property better. Miley Cyrus also had a storage unit robbed.
Lindsay Lohan Was One of the Bling Ring Member’s Fashion Icon
Like Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, and many other stars, Lindsay Lohan was another victim of the Bling Ring. On August 23, 2009, Lohan’s home was hit by the group of teens because one of its members was obsessed with Lohan’s style and wanted to steal her clothes.
The two members of the Bling Ring who burglarized Lohan’s home got away with $130,000 worth of jewelry and clothing. By this time, the public was aware of the Bling Ring, so going to Lohan’s house was a calculated risk they were willing to take for fashion.
Megan Fox Was Robbed at Someone Else’s Home
In 2009, Megan Fox was dating her now ex-husband, Brian Austin Green. She kept a lot of her stuff at his house, and the Bling Ring members knew this. While it seemed like a random target for the group, Green’s house was targeted by the Bling Ring because they wanted Fox’s clothing.
Besides Fox’s clothing, the group stole Green’s semi-automatic handgun, which was later found in the possession of one of the Bling Ring’s members. We don’t know what they planned to do with the gun, but Green was freaked out when he realized it was one of their stolen items.
Kendall Jenner Fired Her Security Guard After a Robbery
When Kendall Jenner was having a party in March 2017, $250,000 worth of jewelry, including a Rolex and Cartier bracelet, was removed from her bedroom. It all happened right under her nose, and the police figured it was an inside job as there was no sign of forced entry.
The thief knew where she kept her jewelry. Jenner didn’t see anyone enter her room while she was entertaining friends, so she fired the security guard who was on duty the night of the robbery. The family made the same decision following Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery, firing her longtime bodyguard.
Alanis Morissette’s Entire Safe Was Stolen
Although the robbers couldn’t carry A$AP Rocky’s safe, the thieves were more successful in this case. In February 2017, Alan Morissette’s entire safe was stolen from her home, and it contained about $2 million in jewelry and other personal items. The robbers caused damage to her house as they removed the safe.
Morissette was so surprised that her home was the target of a burglary because she lived in one of the safest locations in the area. She was known to flaunt her vintage jewelry, which is why police believed the robbers targeted her house specifically.
Usher Is No Stranger to Robbery
When Usher listed his house in 2018, realtors held open houses for prospective buyers. About $820,000 worth of jewelry and cash was taken from his L.A. home during one of the open houses. The person slipped in and out completely undetected. These thieves weren’t finished after that one time.
They came back to take the security tapes, which isn’t uncommon in robberies. This wasn’t Usher’s first run-in with burglars, though. In 2010, the singer had $1 million stolen out of his car. He really needs to be more careful with the money he leaves lying around.
Tyler Perry Had Some Unwanted Visitors
While Tyler Perry is known for opening his home to the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stayed in his Beverly Hills mansion, the actor had some unwanted visitors. In 2010, Perry’s Atlanta property was burglarized by a few teenagers. One of the robbers was caught just minutes after leaving his house.
Although the number of items that the people stole from Perry was never released, the break-in was captured by security cameras, and two teens got away. Although his property was stolen, he wasn’t fazed by it and continued to help other people in need shortly after the incident.
Rita Ora Hid From a Robber
In 2015, when Rita Ora and her sister were sleeping in her North London home, they were woken up in the middle of the night to someone entering her home. The celebrity-obsessed burglar (who hit many homes before Ora’s) ransacked the pop star’s home, stealing $275,000 worth of jewelry and handbags.
The singer and her sister were terrified and locked themselves in a room while Charaf El Moudden helped himself to their possessions. He was arrested for the robbery and found guilty after just six hours. Elmoudden was also found with other stolen goods and admitted to many more crimes.
Hilary Duff’s Home Was Robbed While She Was on Vacation
While Hilary Duff enjoyed a family vacation and posted about it on Instagram, burglars were busy taking jewelry from her Beverly Hills home. The thief got away with $100,000 worth of jewelry and managed to get in and out without setting off a single alarm. What kind of security system does she have?
Unfortunately for Duff, when she came home, she reported the stolen goods and learned not to post her whereabouts on social media until she is back home. She basically told the robbers that her house was left unattended by posting her vacation, but they got lucky that she didn’t have any alarms.
Rihanna’s House Was Hit Twice
Rihanna’s Hollywood home was hit not once but twice by burglars. The intruders were part of a burglary ring that also planned to rob the home of Lebron James. Although it is unknown what they stole from Rihanna’s house or if they got away with anything, they used social media to determine which homes would be empty.
Besides Rihanna, the three teens and their mothers stole millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry, designer bags, watches, and other valuables. Some of their other victims included Christina Milian and L.A. Dodgers right fielder Yaisel Puig. The officers who searched the suspects’ homes found stolen goods and $50,000 in cash.
Scott Disick Was Robbed by Someone Who Knew Him Well
While Scott Disick was in Las Vegas celebrating his birthday in 2017, robbers ensured they weren’t seen by security cameras and burglarized his home. According to police reports, it was an inside job because they knew where the security cameras were and where Disick kept his expensive items.
It seems that the robbers decided to strike his house after he posted a picture on Instagram showing he was on his way to Las Vegas. Coincidentally, Disick was robbed around the same time the previous year while he was at the Cannes Film Festival.
Nicki Minaj Didn’t Know When She Was Robbed
While Nicki Minaj was traveling from November 2016 to January 2017, her home was left unattended. During this time, robbers made off with approximately $200,000 worth of jewelry and other items. When she finally returned, her house was trashed with flipped furniture and smashed picture frames.
However, after the incident, Minaj spent a hefty amount on a new security system that included numerous cameras and security guards to protect the property. No suspects were arrested in relation to the crime, but she wasn’t going to take any chances again.
Jason Derulo’s Maid Discovered the Robbery
In 2017, Jason Derulo’s mansion was broken into by thieves who stole $300,000 worth of cash and jewelry. Derulo was out of town, and his maid was the one to discover the robbery when she visited his home. She found a smashed window and broken door and called the police to report it.
Derulo had to return home to identify which items were missing from the $3 million mock castle he purchased after his split from Jordan Sparks. Derulo was one of many in a string of robberies during that time. Some of the other victims included David Spade, Drake, and Demi Lovato.
David Spade Lost His Mother’s Wedding Band
In 2017, David Spade was another victim in a string of Hollywood robberies. The actor’s Beverly Hills home was burglarized, and the robbers took $80,000 worth of jewelry and cash after taking an entire safe. One of the priceless items that couldn’t be replaced was his mother’s wedding band, which he kept in the safe.
When the police arrived, they noticed Spade had a security system, but the thieves had disabled it. It seems this group of robbers are sophisticated enough to disarm alarms and cameras. Spade was away when the crime took place, and the burglars knew he wouldn’t be there.
Drake Had a Thirsty Burglar
In 2017, a thirsty burglar broke into Drake’s Hidden Hills home. The rapper’s employee called the police to report that a woman broke into the home and allegedly took a Sprite, a Fiji water, and a Pepsi. Police arrested the woman for felony residential burglary.
Drake really didn’t lose anything like the others on this list, but it was a strange situation. Although she was held in jail, the woman was let go because they could not proceed with the case. Apparently, losing $10 worth of beverages isn’t crucial to the police.
Emmy Rossum Left the Safe Combination on a Piece of Paper
Shameless star Emmy Rossum’s Benedict Canyon home was broken into in 2017. The thieves got away with $150,000 worth of jewelry and other items from her safe because the combination was on a piece of paper, and the robbers found it on their search of the house.
Although Rossum was away when the incident took place, she tweeted her appreciation to the LAPD for working the case. Although it was just material items, Rossum felt violated that someone entered her house without permission and went through her personal belongings.
Kyle Richards Lost Over $1 Million of Irreplaceable Items
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star had just moved into her Encino, California mansion when someone broke into her home and stole more than $1 million in jewelry and handbags. Kyle Richards was devastated because most of the jewelry was from her mother, who had passed away, and she wanted to pass it down to her daughters.
While she knew that the material things could be replaced, it hurt because there were sentimental things she would never get back. Richards and her family were on vacation in Aspen when the robbery took place, and she debated moving because she didn’t feel safe in the home after that incident.
Rachel Bilson Still Feels Violated From Her Robbery
Rachel Bilson is another victim of the Bling Ring. Her home was burglarized five different times by the infamous teens. They stole around $300,000 worth of property, and they had so much stuff that they sold it on the Venice Beach boardwalk to make a few thousand dollars.
Over a decade since the numerous robberies, Bilson said the most violating part was that they got so comfortable in her house that one of the group’s members used her bathroom. Years later, she was robbed by a different perpetrator, and it taught her not to be attached to material things.
The Bling Ring Knew Audrina Patridge Wouldn’t Be Home
On the night of February 22, 2009, the members of the Bling Ring knew Audrina Patridge would be at the Academy Awards ceremony. They entered her Hollywood Hills home and took jewelry, her passport, a laptop, and custom jeans. The items were worth around $43,000.
Patridge reportedly had security cameras and uploaded the footage to her website. However, the group didn’t get caught and continued to burglarize other homes. The video was too blurry to identify the teens as they were wearing hats and gloves when they entered her home.
Burglars Used Mountain Climbing Equipment to Rob Willem Dafoe
Oscar-nominated actor Willem Dafoe has been famous since the 1980s with movies like Platoon and The English Patient. Dafoe split his time between his homes in New York City and Rome. On the night of May 22, 2011, burglars broke into his top-floor Italian flat.
The thieves used mountain climbing equipment to gain entry to the apartment by rappelling down from the roof and into the residence. They knew that the apartment would be empty because he was in New Mexico filming a movie. The robbers stole about $3,000 of jewelry and other items.
Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin Learned About Their Robbery on TV
Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin were once the proud owners of the posh boutique Belle Gray in Sherman Oaks, California. Although the store closed because they couldn’t afford to keep the doors open, one thing that pushed them to lose money was the store’s 2010 burglary.
Rinna and Hamlin learned about the burglary while they were on the Today show promoting their TVLand reality show. Hamlin got a call on his phone from the security company, and they detailed the damages live. Hosts Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotbe looked stunned as they found out information on the spot.
Erin Wasson Accidentally Left Her Door Unlocked
Texas-born model Erin Wasson has been on the covers of Allure, Elle, and four international editions of Vogue. The model was known for her style and the luxury handbags she carried. People knew her face because she had a contract with Maybelline since 2002.
Just before Christmas 2008, Wasson accidentally forgot to lock the door to her Santa Monica home, and she paid the price. While she slept, thieves entered her home and took off with designer clothing and jewelry estimated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars. She always locked her door after that.
David and Victoria Beckham’s Home Was Targeted Twice in One Month
In 2018, David and Victoria Beckham’s home was targeted by burglars twice in one month. The couple was left shaken and had to tighten their security. On November 14, 2018, a man attempted to break in, but a security guard chased him off. They also added dogs to the security team.
The first attempted break-in took place in October 2018 while the family was away in Australia. However, the three people who attempted to get in were caught by security cameras. Luckily, they weren’t able to get into the home, but it scared Victoria, and she was upset for a while.
Demi Lovato’s Dogs Stopped a Burglar
Although the man never got inside her home, a trespassing incident occurred at Demi Lovato’s home in 2017. Her house manager noticed something was wrong when Lovato’s dogs started barking in her room. A man dressed in black had somehow gotten over the security gate and onto Lovato’s balcony outside her bedroom.
While it wasn’t clear if he was a stalker or a robber, he wasn’t supposed to be there, and the police caught him. Fortunately, Lovato was on the other side of the country when the incident took place. It seems 2017 was a bad year to be a celebrity with valuable items.
Kevin Hart Lost $500,000 Worth of Personal Items
In 2016, comedian Kevin Hart’s home was robbed. Hart was in Miami when the incident took place, and no one was looking after the property. The thieves got in through the back door and stole half a million dollars’ worth of clothes, jewelry, watches, and other personal items.
Hart’s home had security cameras inside and out, so police took those for possible leads. Hart got a picture of the man who robbed him from the security cameras and posted the picture on his Instagram. Hart wrote, “I’m about to show you the power of social media. One of my followers might recognize you.”