44 Of The Scariest Stories About Celebrity Home Break-Ins

We asked Sington how a new celebrity would go about ensuring their security and privacy. He told Bored Panda that, for one, it's vital to limit the amount of personal information shared online and with the public.

"This includes avoiding posting real-time location updates, using aliases or business entities for property and asset ownership, and securing all social media accounts with strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication. It’s also wise to create separate email addresses and phone numbers for professional use, and to work with a digital privacy consultant to audit and remove personal data from public databases and people-search websites," he said.

According to Sington, celebrities can make themselves vulnerable to stalking, theft, and unwanted confrontations when they reveal their real-time location, travel plans, or personal routines on social media.

"Even seemingly innocent photos can give away details like home interiors, neighborhood landmarks, or license plates, which can be pieced together by determined individuals. Using delays when sharing location-based content—posting after leaving a place—is a simple but powerful protective habit," Sington told Bored Panda.

Something else that stars should be mindful of is tagging other people, "especially family and close friends who may not have the same security measures in place."

"Verifying privacy settings, turning off geotagging, and avoiding sharing content that reveals children’s locations or school affiliations are also critical. It’s important that their teams understand and follow similar protocols to avoid accidental exposure through behind-the-scenes content."

Meanwhile, the expert said that, on the physical security front, it's crucial to hire a trusted security team for high-profile events, as well as assessing home security. For example, you most likely may want to install surveillance systems and gated access in your home.

"Celebrities should also establish clear boundaries with fans and the media, avoid routines that make them easy to track, and educate their team on confidentiality. Legal protections, like NDAs with staff and advisors, can also help maintain privacy and prevent information leaks."

In recent news, the so-called ‘Grandpa robbers’ are going on trial in Paris, France, after they allegedly broke into reality TV star Kim Kardashian’s apartment in 2016. The suspects stole jewelry worth millions of dollars, and it was the biggest robbery of an individual in the country in the past two decades.

“Kardashian was tied up and held hostage at gunpoint in her bedroom in central Paris by armed thieves dressed as police officers in the early hours of 3 October 2016. The thieves escaped with up to an estimated €10m [Nearly $11.4m] in jewelry,” The Guardian reports.

During the robbery, Kardashian did not have security protection at the time (her bodyguard was with her sister Kourtney at a nightclub), and she was alone in her bedroom. She was staying at a ‘no address’ exclusive apartment building, where celebrities visiting Paris often rent suites.

“I saw him have a gun out for me, and I was like, OK, this is it. I kept on thinking about Kourtney, I kept on thinking she’s going to come home and I’m going to be d*ad in the room and she’s going to be traumatized for the rest of her life if she sees me … I thought that was my fate,” Kardashian later recounted the experience to TV interviewer David Letterman.

According to Kardashian, the thieves followed her movements on social media, prompting her to change what she posted online later. “They knew my every move and what I had,” she said at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit.

The thieves’ escape was far from perfect. The BBC states that the police were able to spot the burglars after they left Kardashian’s apartment due to the high number of CCTV around Paris. At one point, one of the burglars fleeing the scene on a bike fell down, dropping a bag of jewels. A diamond-encrusted necklace fell out which was later found by a passer-by.

"They [the criminals] didn't take into account the progress made by police techniques, which can now find micro traces of DNA anywhere," crime reporter Patricia Tourancheau, the author of ‘Kim and the Grandpa Robbers,’ told the BBC. “When they dressed up as police they thought 'That's it, nobody will be able to recognise us.’”

Have you ever had someone break into your home? Have you ever witnessed a burglary or attack taking place? What happened and how did you react? What advice would you give new homeowners to keep themselves and their property safe? Let us know in the comments.