PARIS, France (AFP) — US reality television star Kim Kardashian was tied up and robbed at gunpoint at a luxury Paris residence by assailants disguised as police who made off with millions in jewellery, French police and her representative said Monday.
A spokeswoman for Kardashian said she was “badly shaken but physically unharmed” after the assault, which occurred at 2:30 am (0030 GMT) on Monday.
Police said 35-year-old Kardashian had been “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 a ring worth around four million euros ($4.5 million) and a case of jewellery with a value of five million euros were stolen. Two mobile phones were also taken.
Kardashian’s spokeswoman said “two armed masked men dressed as police officers” had burst into her room.
Another member of the gang had restrained the building’s security guard during the robbery but he was unhurt, police said.
On hearing the news, Kardashian’s husband, rap superstar Kanye West, abruptly cut short an appearance at a festival in New York, citing a “family emergency”.
It was not immediately clear whether either of Kardashian’s two children with West were with her in Paris at the time of the robbery.
She flew out of France on Monday after being questioned by police about the robbery.
Kardashian, one of the most recognisable US celebrities, had made a series of high-profile appearances at Paris fashion week.
She had attended catwalk shows by Balenciaga and Givenchy on Sunday and had also appeared at a launch for Armenian-American jewellery designer Siran Manoukian.
The Los Angeles-born designer and socialite, a longtime friend of Kardashian, was launching her own clothing label Maison Siran.
A spokeswoman for the label said it had not loaned Kardashian any of its jewellery and none of it was missing.
On Monday, journalists and fans gathered outside the red painted door of the luxury residence where Kardashian had been staying.
A waiter at a cafe opposite said: “Only stars stay there. Kanye West, Jay Z. Kim Kardashian has been there for a week, I have seen her coming and going.”
Kardashian was last week approached in Paris by Vitalii Sediuk, who carries out 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 on the back of reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”.
Swift exit for Kanye
West learned about the assault as he headlined a music festival in New York.
He took to the stage half an hour late but in dramatic fashion with a fireworks show overhead as he ripped into songs from his latest album “The Life of Pablo.”
However, an hour into his set, West said mid-song, “I’m sorry, show’s over,” and quickly left the stage.
A festival representative took the microphone to declare a 10-minute intermission before quickly returning to say that West had a “family emergency” and had already left the venue.
The festival later issued a statement praising West for a “great show” and said: “Our thoughts are with West and his family.”
West had flown to Paris to appear with his wife and her sister Kourtney Kardashian on Thursday during a one-day break in his North American tour.
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.
