PARIS, France: US reality television star Kim Kardashian was tied up and robbed at gunpoint on Monday at a luxury Paris residence by robbers who made off with millions in jewelry.
Kardashian was “badly shaken but physically unharmed” after the assault, which struck a fresh blow to the image of the French capital.
Police said the 35-year-old Kardashian was “tied up and locked in the bathroom” of the residence in the chic Madeleine district of Paris, near the city’s main department stores.
A police source said the robbers made off with a ring worth around four million euros ($4.5 million) and a case of jewelry with a value of five million euros. Two mobile phones were also taken.
The incident occurred at 2:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Monday.
Police said five men were involved and two of them entered Kardashian’s bedroom in the luxury residence where she has stayed before.
Kardashian’s spokeswoman said “two armed masked men dressed as police officers” burst into her room.
Another member of the gang restrained the building’s security guard during the robbery but he was unhurt, police said.
Investigators believe the assailants may have fled on bicycles.
The star’s bodyguard, Pascal Duvier, was not at the residence at the time because he was providing security for Kardashian’s sister Kourtney at a Paris nightclub, an investigation source said.
On hearing of the robbery, Kardashian’s husband, rap superstar Kanye West, abruptly cut short an appearance at a festival in New York, citing a “family emergency.”
It is not known whether Kardashian’s two children with West were with her at the time of the robbery.
She flew out of France on a private jet on Monday after being questioned by police about the robbery.
Kardashian, one of the most recognizable US celebrities, had made a series of high-profile appearances at Paris fashion week.
She attended catwalk shows by Balenciaga and Givenchy on Sunday and also appeared at a launch for Armenian-American jewelry designer Siran Manoukian.
Kardashian was last week approached in Paris by Vitalii Sediuk, who is known for playing pranks on stars. He was caught on video attempting to kiss her behind in an apparent social commentary.
Kardashian has been a fixture of US celebrity news for more than a decade after the leak of a sex tape and the success of reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”
'Sorry, show's over'
West learned about the assault as he headlined a music festival in New York.
An hour into his set, the rapper said mid-song, “I’m sorry, show’s over,” and quickly left the stage.
A festival representative said West had a “family emergency” and the festival later issued a statement saying: “Our thoughts are with West and his family.”
West had flown to Paris to appear with his wife on Thursday during a one-day break in his North American tour.
Paris remains one of the world’s most visited cities but tourist numbers have declined since the jihadist attacks last November in which 130 people were killed.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tried to play down the Kardashian robbery, saying it was “a very rare act that happened in a private space.”
But tourism professionals said such a high-profile incident was disastrous publicity.
“This is just another blow, especially for the luxury sector,” Mark Watkins, head of tourism consultancy firm Coach Omnium, told AFP.
“Paris and France didn’t need this and I think that this very violent incident is going to have an effect on the high-end clientele and on tourism in general.”
Hotels in Paris have seen their takings fall by 20 percent this year, according to industry figures.
Kardashian and West are frequent visitors to France. In 2014, they threw a lavish private party at the Versailles chateau near Paris during a no-expense-spared tour of Europe to celebrate their wedding.
Kim Kardashian robbed of millions at gunpoint in Paris
Kim Kardashian robbed of millions at gunpoint in Paris
