(Culture)

Everything We Know So Far About The Kim K Robbery

by Samantha McDonald

Update 11/04/2016:

Looks like Kim Kardashian is cleaning house following her Paris robbery. The reality star and husband Kanye West reportedly let go of their top bodyguard, Pascal Duvier, who’s worked with Ye since 2012 and Kardashian since 2013. Duvier was accompanying Kourtney and Kendall the night armed men broke into Kim’s hotel room and held her at gunpoint. She’s since amped up her security detail, firing Duvier not directly because of the Paris incident but as a part of an overhaul of the team. In an interview with Us Weekly, a source revealed that Kim “is not blaming Pascal. She felt completely safe at the Paris apartment and doesn’t believe this is his fault in any way.” Here’s hoping things ended amicably.

Update 10/27/2016:

The hotel concierge who was handcuffed during Kim Kardashian’s robbery in Paris has revealed more shocking details about that horrifying night. In an interview with ET, the man—who goes by his first name, Abdulrahman—said the thieves didn’t break into Kim’s apartment for her jewelry; instead, they were there for cash.

He recalled being handcuffed and taken to the first floor, where they found the reality star sitting on the bed. “When she saw police because they were dressed like police, she didn’t understand for a few seconds,” he said. Due to the language barrier, Kim thought the robbers wanted her phones. Then they started asking for money, and Abdulrahman said she began to think they were looking for her $4 million engagement ring.

“She showed her hand…there is no ring, and the guy is like, ‘Where is the ring?’ At the moment she gave him her ring—it was on a table close to the floor—she gave her ring to the guy…and he put it in his pocket,” he said. Abdulrahman added that the robbers continued to ask for money until he told them that she didn’t have a lot of cash with her. That’s when Kim allegedly handed him a jewelry box.

“They weren’t there for jewels at first, they were there for money,” Abdulrahman said. “He put the jewels in his [backpack] and he left the bag open, that is why he lost some jewels and the gold in the hotel.”

The investigation remains open, and no arrests have been made.

Update 10/18/2016:

Kim Kardashian still hasn’t spoken publicly since she was robbed in Paris earlier this month, but her assistant recently addressed her current state in a handwritten note posted on the reality star’s website last night. Stephanie Sheppard (who signed the letter off with her nickname Steph Shep) shared that “Keeks is taking some much-needed time off,” but fans should expect new content and an update to the app. Kim has yet to make an appearance on social media, with the exception of last week when she quietly unfollowed 13 accounts on Twitter.

Update 10/13/2016:

At a wrap party for Keeping Up With The Kardashians this week, one family member’s absence was palpable. Kim Kardashian, who was recently robbed at gunpoint in Paris, skipped the event because she’s “not feeling up to things like that yet.” The robbery, which left her in “shock mode,” has forced the reality star to keep a low online profile as well as make minimal public appearances. She is also reportedly seeking professional counseling to recover from the trauma.

Update 10/12/2016:

Although she still hasn’t addressed the media regarding her Paris robbery, Kim Kardashian is making headlines again for filing a defamation lawsuit against an online news outlet. The TV star said she was wrongly portrayed as a liar and a thief when MediaTakeOut.com claimed on its site that the entire incident was “staged,” saying that she had not only faked the robbery, but also filed a fraudulent insurance claim.

Before filing the suit, Kim’s legal team reportedly asked the outlet to take down the articles, which are no longer available on the website. Kim is seeking unspecified damages, naming both MediaTakeOut.com and founder Fred Mwangaguhunga as defendants.

Update 10/11/2016:

Khloe Kardashian became the latest family member to open up about Kim Kardashian’s robbery. In an interview on Ellen, the reality star revealed that the incident was a wake-up call for all of them—especially Kim, who is “not doing that well.”

“It’s incredibly traumatic what happened to her, but our family is super close and great, and we’ll get through it together,” Khloe said. “We do appreciate all of you guys’ love and support. It will take time. It was horrible what happened to her.”

The Kardashians have been scaling back their social media presence as they remain focused on Kim’s well-being. They’ve even amped up their security detail to include former members of the Secret Service.

Update 10/06/2016:

Keeping Up With The Kardashians—the reality show partially credited for the family’s rise to superstardom—is reportedly on an indefinite hiatus. Since news broke out that robbers held Kim Kardashian at gunpoint, the Kardashian-Jenner clan has remained radio silent on social media until now. Caitlyn Jenner became the first family member to post a message on Instagram in support of the reality star.

Kourtney was the second Kardashian to speak up in a tweet that seemed to be related to the trauma Kim faced.

Other notable figures who have also sent their sympathies include Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who told Extra that she “felt really bad for her,” as well as comedian Lena Dunham. In a “Breakfast Club” interview, she said, “She may have put her life on display in this specific way, and you may not agree with everything she does, but that is a woman and a mother and a daughter who just went through something so heinous.”

But not everyone is in Kim’s corner. Paris police have spoken out against her social media presence, saying that her constant online activity had made her a target. Even Kim herself has reportedly taken the blame for the robbery. If the past two days are any indication, the Kardashians seem to be cutting back on their use of Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat as well as their public appearances.

Original: Just days after being accosted by celebrity prankster Vitalii Sediuk, Kim Kardashian had an infinitely more horrifying experience in the midst of Paris Fashion Week. Early this morning, the reality TV star was reportedly tied up and held at gunpoint at a private residence in the Eighth Arrondissement. Reports say five men dressed as police officers entered the Hôtel de Pourtalès, threatened the concierge with a weapon and forced him to open Kim’s apartment. Two men then gained access to her room, tied her up and gagged her before stealing nearly $9 million in jewelry, including a ring worth an estimated €4 million.

A spokesperson for Kim said she was “badly shaken but physically unharmed.” Neither 3-year-old daughter North nor 10-month-old son Saint were at the apartment during the robbery.

Upon learning of the incident, Kendall Jenner rushed to her sister’s side after walking just one show, and mother Kris told E! News in an interview that Kim “will be okay.” Husband Kanye West, who was performing his set at the Meadows festival in New York City, abruptly exited the stage after telling the audience he had a family emergency.

Since details of the ordeal became public, fans and celebrities have expressed their concern for Kim.

When more frightening details about the robbery emerged, some social media trolls used the opportunity to mock Kim and her lifestyle, but she was quickly defended.

Kim is said to have left the country on her private jet and recently arrived in New York City with a sizable security team. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, condemned the robbery in a statement. “I have full confidence that the police force, as part of their investigation, will quickly identify and apprehend the perpetrators of these acts,” she said. After these recent attacks, we’d say it’s high time to rethink fashion month’s security.