A new ‘Bling Ring’? After series of burglaries at celebrity homes, LAPD looking for possible connections
Celebrity homes have long been easy targets for burglars looking for lucrative scores.
Nearly a decade ago, it was the “Bling Ring” – a group of young people who used gossip magazine, cyber star maps and celebrities’ own social media accounts – to target the riches of Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom and Lindsay Lohan and others to the tune of more than US$3 million.
A few years later, another ring of burglars hit the hillside estates. Officials believe thieves made off with more than US$7 million, stealing safes, rare books and jewels from the likes of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Sherry Lansing and Duran Duran’s John Taylor.
Over the last few months, there has been a new rash of celebrity break-ins, but officials aren’t sure if there is another ring on the loose or whether the cases are unrelated.
Is it a mere coincidence that the homes of singer Alanis Morissette and Los Angeles Lakers star Nick Young were hit in recent weeks? The burglars took safes that officials said were filled contents worth US$2 million and US$500,000 respectively.
Other recent celebrity victims include Los Angeles Dodger Yasiel Puig, ex-Los Angeles Laker Derek Fisher and hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj.
Someone came prepared to get that safe. Someone knew something
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti this week seemed to downplay the prospect of another crew preying on the rich and famous.