A handbag heist is one of every luxury-lovers’ worst nightmares.
Although one can never prepare themselves for this type of home invasion, there are preventative measures that can help protect those precious belongings of yours.
Reality TV and drama go hand in hand. We live in a time where it’s common for celebrities to share some of the most intimate and personal aspects of their lives. Much of this sharing revolves around pictures and videos in Hollywood homes, which can unfortunately lead to robberies andbreak-ins. The Bling Ring (2008-2009) is an influential part of Hollywood heist history. The Bling Ring was an infamous group of burglars who lived near Calabasas, California. This group was so notorious that they later inspired the 2013 film, The Bling Ring, written by Sophia Coppola and starring Emma Watson. This group targeted and burglarized many celebrity homes, one of which being Paris Hilton. Hilton stated that she lost 20 designer handbags to the Bling Ring, including a baby blue Birkin bag and classic black Birkin bag.
“Keep a record of what you own. Whether it be receipts or photos, documentation is key.”
The popular show, Million Dollar Listing, Los Angeles, is also connected to some noteworthy robberies. In a past episode, British real-estate-duo James Harris and David Parnes listed the property, “Dawnridge”. This spectacular home is owned by RHOBH star Dorit Kemsley and her husband, PK. After an extravagant and successful open house, it was robbed and “pulled off the market until further notice”. The stolen items included purses, shoes, jewelry and other personal objects.
“Always limit the amount of people who have access to your handbag collection.”
Another recent and memorable heist was that of Kim Kardashian in Paris. Most of us are already familiar with this traumatizing story, but it’s a good time to take note of the situation. Kim had been active on social media throughout her trip, often times marking her location. This unfortunately revealed her whereabouts to the robbers, who were then able to locate her 15-carat diamond ring and other valuables. Kim has since stated that she has changed her posting activity and delays posting her photos. She no longer flaunts valuable accessories to her social media accounts.
“Be mindful of what you share on social media and the timing of the post.”
The emotional tole that a robbery takes on a victim is much more important than the material object itself. The extreme invasion of privacy leads to a heartbreaking process of accepting the loss of treasured items that hold personal value and memories. This experience is one that no individual should have to endure.