On Monday, October 3, Kim Kardashian West was robbed at gunpoint in her Paris residence where she was staying while she attended the Paris Fashion Week.
Five masked men wearing police uniforms handcuffed the concierge at the Hôtel de Pourtalès while holding him at gunpoint and forced him to show the robbers where Kim was staying. Kim reported that she asked the concierge if they were going to die, and he replied that he didn’t know. She became suspicious of him because he was very calm and cool during the whole ordeal. The concierge later put out an open letter to Kim via a French newspaper stating:
“When you feel the cool barrel of a gun on your neck, at that moment calm means … life … both our lives.”
Inside the apartment, Kim was asleep alone wearing only a robe. She woke up to see two masked men and rolled off of her bed to call her bodyguard, though the robbers saw and took her phone. The bodyguard was assisting Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner at a nightclub just down the road. Sources say that was not unusual as the bodyguard works with the entire family.
Kim reportedly had a gun to her head as she begged for her life. Her wrists were zip-tied and she was grabbed by her ankles by the thieves. She reported to the police that she thought she was going to be raped, but instead they duct taped her ankles together and put her in the bathtub. The thieves did not speak English, but they repeatedly said, “ring, ring.” They duct taped her mouth shut after Kim told them where the diamond ring Kanye had given her was.
Kim had been given a 20-carat diamond ring from her husband, Kanye West and she had posted several photos of it on her social media accounts. The French police statement said that her robbery was in part due to the way she flaunted her ring on social media.
Kim reported begging the intruders for her life. She told them to take all of her money and jewelry, as long as she survived. Kim finally was able to free herself after the thieves left and called for help from the balcony.
Kim’s long time friend, Simone, was staying with her on the floor below and woke up to a commotion. She called the bodyguard, but the robbers left on bicycles moments before the bodyguard showed up.
Immediately after giving the police her testimony, Kim boarded a plane and headed to her New York City residents, where she was greeted by family. A motorcade of 10 cars escorted Kim and her husband Kanye, Kris Jenner, and Kris’ friend Corey Gamble from the airport to the NYC residence. From there, Kim took a private jet back to Los Angeles with her two children.
The French police are still investigating the incident that occurred. The hotel itself did not have any security cameras, but the police were able to obtain footage from a store’s security cameras across the street. Sources say that a blacked out limo drove past the residence three times in a matter of 35 minutes. Paparazzi also noticed that two French men seemed to be tailing Kim throughout her entire stay in Paris.
There is much speculation in the public around whether or not this was a publicity stunt pulled by the Kardashian Klan. Kim has assured everyone that it is not, feeling hurt that anyone would even think that. The investigation is also pointing towards a ring of international thieves, known as the Pink Panthers.
The West family filed an insurance claim for the stolen goods that totaled to almost $6 million worth of jewelry. The insurance claim and the appraisal value are different, with the appraisal value totaling to about $10-11 million.
Kim Kardashian-West is still very emotional about the whole ordeal. A source close to Kim says that she still suffers from flashbacks and she is taking at least a month off from her public engagements until she can feel safe again. Production for the reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, will be stalled until further notice. The West’s have enacted a 24 armed security squad to keep their family safe.
Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kim-kardashian-arme…
Photos:
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/news/a18063/kim-kardashian…