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The lifestyles of the rich and famous aren't always as simple as some may think. The very things that fans admire them for, their wealth and fame, happen to make them huge targets of robbery. It's no secret that these celebrities have an abundance of money and therefore own expensive items. Those with bad intentions have seen this as an opportunity to target and victimize celebrities, knowing they stand a chance to score a very big payout if they plot their crimes with care. It's scary, and many very well-known celebrities have experienced these horrifying moments first-hand. In spite of all their security efforts, many stars have fallen victim to theft, robbery, and in some cases, some truly harrowing crimes. Hello Magazine indicates that fans may be surprised to hear just how frequently this has happened, and how many big names have been hit.
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton wasn't just burglarized, she was targeted by a professional ring of thieves. They went by the name "The Bling Ring" and they burglarized a number of celebrity homes, making out with millions of dollars worth of jewelry, clothing, and property. Paris Hilton was one of the unlucky few that suffered a huge loss. Her Los Angeles home was raided and she didn't even realize it at the time. In fact the Bling Ring came back a second time, since the first burglary went unnoticed. They robbed her of over $1.2 million worth of jewels during their second mission into her home.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian's robbery was one of the most publicized in the media. The violent, horrifying robbery she experienced in Paris became a fabric of her family's reality TV show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and left her clearly traumatized. While staying in Paris, in 2016, intruders entered her luxury residence, held her at gunpoint, and even tied her up in the bathroom before robbing her of $11 million worth of jewelry, inclusive of her engagement ring from Kanye West. Over 17 people were eventually arrested.
Tupac Shakur
Two years before his tragic murder, the legendary Tupac Shakur was robbed outside of Quad Recording Studios in New York City. The 1994 robbery went wrong and Shakur was shot five times before thieves made away with $45,000 worth of his jewelry. In 2012, convicted drug trafficker James Rosemond confessed to the crime but couldn't be charged for it due to the expiry of the statute of limitations.
Simon Cowell
Simon and his family were asleep in their Holland Park home in London, when a burglar entered their home through a patio door and made out with $1 million worth of jewelry and his family's passports. The thief was later caught, and Cowell seemed shaken about being inside the home when this all occurred, without even realizing that it had happened.
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger was the victim of an incredibly violent robbery. She was traveling to a music video shoot in Mexico when her car was pulled over by armed men. She was eventually let go after being mugged and it's suspected this was the work of a local gang. She was clearly traumatized after the incident.
Kate Moss
Somehow, Kate Moss slept right through a robbery in her London home which saw bandits take off with huge pieces of art. Among the items taken was a rare, valuable Banksy painting which is valued at well over $80,000. When she woke up, her art was simply not there, and it was never recovered.
2 Chainz
2 Chainz watched as his security guards handed over his jewelry and cell phone to armed robbers that cornered the star when he was walking down the street in San Francisco. That's not the most shocking part. The entire time that he was held at gunpoint, he thought he was being pranked and didn't actually take the robbery seriously or believe it was really happening. At one point, shots were fired, but nobody was hurt.
Benedict Cumberbatch
In 2004, Benedict Cumberbatch was filming To The Ends of The Earth in South Africa. He was the passenger in a vehicle with his costars when it was stopped by six armed men. The stars were robbed of all their personal items, but that wasn't the worst part. They were also forced into the trunk of the car, which had Cumberbatch screaming for help and fearing for his life. According to ET Online, the stars were taken out of the trunk, tied up, and told to kneel on the ground. Cumberbatch feels lucky to have made it out alive, stating he thought this was the end for him as it was all unfolding.
Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff was in Canada in 2017, when thieves entered her Beverly Hills mansion and absolutely raided it. They left with well over $100,000 worth of jewelry, and managed to do so without even triggering her very expensive, top-of-the-line alarm.
Rihanna
Rihanna is likely thinking twice before posting too many personal details on social media. When she posted information that revealed she was not home, her residence was robbed. This didn't just happen once, either. It happened twice. The items taken haven't been publicized, but fans assume she'll be more discreet with over sharing her residential absence in her posts from this point forward.
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell was seriously injured during a robber in Paris in 2012. She was trying to hail a taxi when she was attacked by thieves. She was knocked to the ground and is said to have fought hard to maintain her life and safety. She was later seen in a wheelchair and then crutches, due to the severity of her injuries from this horrifying incident.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj lost $200,000 when her Los Angeles home was burglarized and vandalized in 2017. The break-in occurred while she was out of town and it was evident that the robbers took their time when they entered her home. Aside from taking her valuables, they also paused long enough to flip over her furniture and they destroyed her personal effects such as picture frames and cutting up some of her clothing.
Sources: Hello Magazine, Radar Online, Newsday, ET Online