Luxury Criminal Break-ins: Celebrities Who Got Robbed
Most of us live our daily lives in our own private little bubble. When we hear about bad things happening to other people, we tend to shrug it off and assume it will never happen to us. That line of thinking can be costly for a lot of people, including celebrities.
That’s right — even famous people have dealt with robberies, carjackings, muggings and other types of crime. Some celebs were victimized in non-secure locations, but many had elaborate security measures in place that failed to provide protection. Let’s take a look at some celebrities who got robbed.
Lindsay Lohan – $130,000 of Possessions
Lindsay Lohan’s Hollywood Hills mansion was robbed by members of the Bling Ring. The group consisted of teens and young adults who burglarized multiple homes. They were active for about a year, Lohan’s home is only one on a long list of targets.
The Bling Ring stole clothes and other possessions that amounted to $130,000 from Lindsay Lohan’s home. Many thought the burglary was more than a little ironic, given Lohan’s alleged involvement with theft in the past. Additionally, the group only received light punishments, also ironic considering Lohan’s own flair for escaping serious legal punishment for her crimes.
Scott Disick – Home Robbery
For years, you were taught not to let anyone know you were going out of town unless you wanted to get robbed. For extra security, you probably left on lights and the TV and asked someone to get your mail. Perhaps this is advice that Scott Disick should have taken.
His house was broken into a second time after he posted that he was going to Vegas for his birthday on social media. Next time, he might want to wait until he’s back home before announcing his trip and sharing his photos.
Orlando Bloom – $500,000 of Possessions
Orlando Bloom and his former wife, Miranda Kerr, were also victims of the Bling Ring. At the time, the two were living together in a Hollywood Hills home. On July 13, 2009, the Bling Ring burglarized the home, taking approximately half a million dollars’ worth of high-priced clothing, art, watches and lingerie.
Afterward, Bloom decided to make the home safer with extra security measures, but the couple continued to have negative feelings toward the home after the event. They eventually moved, and the house now rents for a whopping $16,500 per month.
Kirsten Dunst – SoHo Loft Break In
On August 9, 2007, Kirsten Dunst was staying at a SoHo penthouse while she was in town for the filming of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. While she was out, thieves broke into her room and took her credit cards, identification, electronics — including digital cameras and an iPod — $2,500 in cash and a $13,000 handbag.
While the thieves temporarily succeeded, they didn’t get away with it in the long run, thanks to security cameras. Maybe burglarizing an upscale hotel that would logically have strong security measures wasn’t the best choice — just a thought.
Nicki Minaj – $200,000 of Possessions
Nicki Minaj’s life in early 2017 was quite eventful, so getting a new security system probably wasn’t on her mind. It quickly became a top priority, however, after she returned home to find $200,000 worth of property had been stolen. Additionally, the thieves completely trashed the house.
If that wasn’t enough, the crooks destroyed a lot of personal items, including perfume bottles and clothes, making authorities wonder if it was someone she knew. Regardless, Minaj decided not to take chances. Along with the security system, she hired a team of guards to provide 24/7 protection for her house.
Miley Cyrus – Maserati Luxury Sedan
When Miley Cyrus was away from her San Fernando Valley home, a male and female robbery team climbed her fence. Inside her home, they found her jewelry and took pieces worth an undisclosed amount. From there, they entered her garage and stole her beloved Maserati luxury sedan.
This incident was obviously unnerving. Theft alone can turn a person’s world upside down. However, this particular burglary came on the heels of her need to file a restraining order against a man who was trying a little too hard to get near her. These incidents occurred only a month apart.
Willem Dafoe – Home Robbery
Playing a hero — or even a villain — in a movie has to be a lot of fun. Willem Dafoe certainly enjoyed playing the Green Goblin in Spider-Man. Unfortunately, someone wanted to take a crack at playing a real-life Spider-Man-inspired villain by breaking into Dafoe’s home.
Instead of picking the lock and entering through the front door like most thieves, this bad guy decided to use mountain climbing gear and ropes to break in. Maybe he was simply auditioning for a role, considering he only took around $3,000 worth of items for his effort.
Brian Austin Green – Home Robbery
Brian Austin Green and his wife, Megan Fox, were also victims of the Bling Ring. The two were still dating at the time the thieves chose to burglarize Green’s home in Los Angeles. The stolen items included a gun and some of Megan Fox’s T-shirts. Weird, right?
Even stranger, neither Green nor Fox was aware of the theft at the time it happened. Green was in New York filming, and no one was staying at the property when the crime occurred. When the Bling Ring was caught, police found documented accounts of the team’s thefts and returned Green’s property.
Tyler Perry – Credit Card Stolen
A success story is always encouraging, especially when that successful person had a rough life and had to overcome a lot of adversity to make it big. People like Tyler Perry can be an inspiration to us all, and he is definitely someone to imitate.
It’s probably best, though, to simply model your life after his instead of trying to steal it. In 2010, one of Tyler Perry’s credit cards was stolen, and he didn’t notice right away. By the time he did, the balance included $30,000 of charges that weren’t his.
Usher – $1,000,000 of Possessions
Usher, a beloved R&B star and talented dancer, has been the target of a couple of thefts. In 2010, he was holiday shopping at Lenox Mall in Atlanta. Thieves broke into his car and took clothing, electronics and more than $1 million worth of jewelry.
In 2018, his Los Angeles home was burglarized, and jewelry and cash worth about $820,000 were taken. The thieves came back later to destroy the security camera footage to cover their tracks. Authorities speculate the robbery might have been planned when the house was on the market and being shown to prospective buyers.
LL Cool J – Home Robbery
Anyone and everyone who knows who LL Cool J is aware of his size and strength. That fact makes you wonder who would be crazy enough to break into his house. Doing such a foolish thing would be asking for trouble, which is exactly what one burglar found out the hard way when he hit the home.
When the rapper/actor went to investigate a noise at 2 a.m., he came face-to-face with the intruder. LL Cool J welcomed his guest with a broken nose and jaw — likely not the loot the burglar hoped to enjoy.
Kendall Jenner – $230,000 of Jewelry
Being a fashion model as well as part of the Kardashian clan means you’re destined to get some unwanted attention. In March 2017, Kendall Jenner’s home in Los Angeles was broken into by a team that took off with more than $230,000 of jewelry.
Understandably angry, Jenner fired her security guard the very next day. The thief was actually an uninvited guest who walked right into her party and took the jewelry while the guard was on the property. She was not the first or the last of the Kardashian-Jenner clan to be burglarized.
Taye Diggs – Home Robbery
Like LL Cool J, Taye Diggs is not one to sit back while someone disrespects his home. He returned home late on January 27, 2013, after the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Instead of settling in to relax and unwind, he discovered a young burglar in his home.
As the thief took off running, Diggs decided to chase him. Whether he made that decision because his protective instincts kicked in or he was just angry, the end result was impressive. Diggs held the burglar until the cops arrived.
John Legend – $30,000 of Possessions
After landing at John F. Kennedy airport, John Legend found that one of his bags was missing. This particular bag contained approximately $30,000 worth of his property. The bag had been left unattended, which resulted in someone else taking it.
The airport police did a very good job of tracking the bag down, retrieving it from the culprit and returning it. Unfortunately, someone started a rumor that it was a cab driver who stole the bag. Legend quickly got on Twitter and set the record straight, making honesty and integrity qualities to add to his already admirable list.
Drake – Robbed at Gunpoint
Drake has been the victim of theft on more than one occasion. In 2009, the rising star was robbed at gunpoint by two men. The robbers grabbed his diamonds, his watch and about $2,000. In 2016, a homeless janitor robbed Drake’s tour bus while he was performing.
The most disturbing theft, however, is the one committed by a fanatic. A woman somehow entered one of Drake’s houses, drank $10 worth of water and soda and spent time hanging out in one of his hoodies. That is much creepier than the other incidents.
Rod Stewart – Several Car Thefts
Rod Stewart is a loved and respected singer/songwriter. It seems, however, that a couple of people didn’t like him very much and had no problems punishing him. Of course, they may have just been a bit envious. Either way, Stewart has been the target of a couple of thefts.
In 1982, he was robbed at gunpoint for his $50,000 Porsche. In 2004, Steward fired a landscaper who was working at his home. Apparently angry with the star, the landscaper took off in Stewart’s Dodge Viper and ultimately wrecked it.
Paris Hilton – $2,000,000 of Possessions
Heiress Paris Hilton is another victim of the Bling Ring, who burglarized her home a suspected five times. Interestingly, Hilton didn’t report the burglaries until $2 million worth of stuff was taken.
You would think after so many robberies that she would increase her security (and maybe stop leaving her key under the mat?). She finally did add some security measures but only after using the Bling Ring robberies as a marketing ploy on social media for her personal product line. Might as well use a bad situation to push your business forward, right?
Lucy Hale – Home Robbery
Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale has captured the hearts of many television viewers. Apparently, all those captured hearts include some less-than-stellar characters. A burglar broke through a front window to enter her home.
The alarm went off and presumably notified the authorities, but it did nothing to get rid of the burglar before he was finished. The thief rummaged through her purses and jewelry and left with more than $15,000 worth of goods. Fans all over breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that Hale wasn’t home during the burglary.
Alanis Morissette – $2,000,000 in Jewelry
It’s normal to be proud of what you’ve worked for and to want to show it off. Most of us have a small group of friends we focus on for this type of sharing. When you’re a star, privacy is minimal, and you’re always being watched. That means expensive jewelry is sure to get attention.
Alanis Morissette loved to share pictures of her beautiful jewelry, and she was recently robbed of it — all of it. The thieves broke into the Los Angeles home she shares with her husband and kids. No one was home, but the thieves took her entire safe containing $2 million in jewelry.
Kate Moss – Home Robbery
While Kate Moss, her boyfriend and her mother were all sleeping one morning, thieves entered her London home and got to work. Moss was the proud owner of multiple works of art, and the thieves made off with three pieces valued at a combined $115,000.
One of the most valuable items taken was a portrait of herself created by the elusive artist Banksy. Reportedly, two thieves climbed over walls to break into her home. She would have undoubtedly been missing many more items had there been a more organized effort by more than two thieves.
Kim Kardashian West – Hotel Mugging
In 2016, Kim Kardashian West was in Paris with her sister Kourtney for Fashion Week. The sisters went to their separate apartments after leaving the event. Shortly thereafter, five men entered the building where she was staying, tied up the concierge and forced him to tell them which apartment she was in.
Minutes later, they burst through her door, gagged her and tied her up in the bathroom. They took off with three cell phones, a $4.5 million ring and other jewelry valued at $5.6 million. The incident terrified her, and she was later diagnosed with PTSD.
Kourtney Kardashian – Home Robbery
Unfortunately, the Jenner-Kardashian attacks continue with sister Kourtney. Although Kim’s attack was terrifying, Kourtney’s robbery has a major creep factor. Someone she trusted to work in her home and care for her children stole money and electronics from her. As she tried to piece it all together, the employee was still in her home.
Kourtney eventually discovered the lady had hacked her messages, snuck around in her office at night with a flashlight and possibly bugged her home. Whether the woman was an obsessed stalker or something else entirely, her actions were definitely creepy by any standards.
Matthew McConaughey – Hotel Robbery
Vacations are meant for relaxing, having a good time and enjoying yourself. However, if those things interfere with your general safety, perhaps you need some new activities. In 2008, Matthew McConaughey traveled to Nicaragua for a vacation. As people sometimes do, he had a few too many cocktails and let loose a little too much, ultimately paying a hefty price.
He was so wasted when he entered his hotel room that he forgot to close the door. While he was sleeping, thieves walked right into his room and stole $2,000 in cash as well as his phone.
Rachel Bilson – Home Robbery
Rachel Bilson is another Bling Ring victim. They must have really loved her home and personal belongings, as they burglarized her house five times. She wasn’t the one who actually discovered the robberies, though. Her mother stopped by the house one day and noticed items were missing.
Bilson, who had been away a lot, was surprised to learn that she was missing a TV, $50,000 in shoes, designer clothing and purses, and, sadly, her grandmother’s jewelry. All of this occurred during the time she and her long-term boyfriend broke up. Can’t a girl catch a break?
Julianne Moore – $127,000 of Posessions
Even if you screen people for work carefully, they can still slide things by you, including their true character and lack of honesty and integrity. Julianne Moore hired about 20 people to renovate her New York City brownstone in the West Village.
Although she can’t be certain, she feels that some of the workers might have been responsible for the home’s burglary. Four Cartier watches and a Cartier platinum diamond tennis bracelet were stolen, for a loss of about $127,000. Maybe locking the items up in a safety deposit box during the renovations would have been a good idea.
Simon Cowell – $1,000,000 in Jewelry
Sometimes, you do everything right, and it still isn’t enough. Simon Cowell did what he thought was enough to protect his family by hiring a good security guard. It seemed to be working out well until December 2015 — quite an unpredictable night.
While Cowell and his family were sleeping soundly, a serial burglar broke into his large London home and stole around $1 million in jewelry. Unfortunately, the thief happened to enter the house at the same time the security guard needed a potty break. Due to fear for his child, Cowell has upped his security measures.
Keri Russell – Home Robbery
Being robbed is scary enough — it’s hard to get past the sense of violation. Knowing someone broke into your home and skulked around while you were sleeping adds a whole other layer of terror. Keri Russell knows this first-hand. Asleep at the lowest level of the apartment, she heard a noise upstairs.
Before she got upstairs, the thieves were gone with her purse, laptop and jewelry. The suspected robbers — a father and son team — were caught later that night after breaking into another home. Fortunately, Keri, her husband and her children were not harmed and only lost replaceable items.
A$AP Rocky – Home Robbery
In May 2017, a knock sounded on the door of A$AP Rocky’s Los Angeles home. His sister opened the door, not expecting trouble to be on the other side. A group of armed robbers pushed their way inside and held A$AP Rocky’s sister at gunpoint. Fortunately, she wasn’t harmed while the crooks robbed the place.
The thieves left with around $1.5 million in jewelry as well as a safe, which they ended up leaving on the sidewalk outside. After going through all that trouble, they didn’t even take all their loot.
Audrina Patridge – $43,000 in Possessions
As Audrina Patridge enjoyed herself at the 2009 Academy Awards, the Bling Ring marched right into her home through an unlocked door. The overall take was approximately $43,000 in jewelry, electronics and clothing as well as her passport. Unfortunately for the thieves, this is the digital age.
The robbery was caught on her surveillance camera, and she shared the video on her website. Patridge is the last Bling Ring victim listed here, but there were plenty of others not mentioned. The criminals were eventually apprehended, and she learned a hard lesson about double-checking door locks.
Queen Latifah – Mercedes S63
Some burglaries seem to be gutsier — or maybe just crazier? — than others, and this one seems to fit in one of those categories. In Atlanta in December 2016, Queen Latifah’s security guard took her Mercedes S63 to fill the gas tank. It’s hard to think that such an ordinary task could go wrong, but it did.
As the guard was pumping the gas, a thief jumped in the Mercedes and took off. The car was located later at an apartment complex. Strangely, they found a lot of lemonade and fruit punch bottles inside, but the car sustained little damage.
