What You Can Learn From Celebrity Home Invasions

We have good reason to be concerned with security. According to the FBI, there were over 8 million property crimes in the United States in 2014 alone. Property crime accounted for a net loss of $14.3 billion in the same year. On average, a burglary results in a loss of around $2000.

Considering such alarming statistics, many people are scrambling to install security systems for their property. The last thing anyone wants is an intruder invading the sanctity of their home. Many victims of home invasion are no longer comfortable in their homes and report feeling that they have been robbed of more than material goods — they have been robbed of their security.

People today are especially interested in installing the same security systems that famous people use. Unfortunately, not every famous person takes security seriously, which is surprising because their wealth and fame make them easy targets. Considering how powerful security systems for mansions can be, and how much celebrities have to lose — not only in terms of wealth but also in terms of personal privacy — you’d think security would be their number one concern.

With the security systems of the rich and famous in mind, we’ve collected ten of the most astounding stories about celebrity home invasions. Some are goofy, some are bizarre, and some are simply head scratchers. The perpetrator was caught in each case, but a single question remains: Do you want to catch the burglars before they make it into your home, catch them red-handed trying to get away, or hope that someday they finally slip up? For all of these celebrities, they can only ask themselves in hindsight. For you, however, the choice is yours with the right security system.

1. Paris Hilton (2008)

Living a life of luxury without earning it, Paris Hilton has become the epitome of conspicuous consumption. She’s always sure to make an appearance at the most exclusive parties wearing flashy jewelry and the latest in designer fashions, so it should come as little surprise that she would fall victim to a robbery.

In 2008, her home was looted to the tune of $2 million worth of clothing, jewelry and top-shelf alcohol. Even her designer bras were taken.

The culprits were a group of teenagers known as the ‘Bling Ring.’ Although Hilton’s home was their most lucrative break in, they also robbed Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox and Lindsay Lohan before their string of robberies was brought to a halt.

These break-ins could have been easily prevented. The burglars gained access to Hilton’s home using a spare key found under her doormat.

2. Steve Jobs (2012)

Unsurprisingly, the home of Steve Jobs was filled with the latest in personal technology gadgets. As the former CEO of Apple, he was the brains behind some of the most groundbreaking and trendsetting personal computing innovations in history. Jobs believed in his company’s products — he kept every Apple product in his home.

Perhaps that’s what prompted the home invader to target Jobs. Upon breaking in, the burglar gathered up as many iPods, iPads, iPhones and computers as he could. Sixty-thousand worth of expensive jewelry was also swiped. The burglar even took Jobs’ wallet.

Unfortunately for the burglar, Jobs’ technological creations had been equipped with both loss recovery and personal security technology. While most of us use these applications to find our iPhone when it has slipped under the seat in the car, investigators tracked the criminal using the stolen devices.

Only a day after breaking into Jobs’ home, the criminal was in custody. Targeting one of the masterminds behind high-tech personal devices wasn’t such a good idea.

3. Sylvester Stallone (2010)

Not every intruder is actually trying to rob the place. Sometimes the intruder is a delusional man trying to impress one of his heroes. In 2010, an aspiring action star wanted to prove himself to Rocky. First, the intruder needed to make it by Stallone’s guard dog, a well-trained but vicious pit bull. Using martial arts, the intruder succeeded in knocking out the dog.

After making it into Stallone’s front yard, the intruder then took the opportunity to show off more of his martial arts routine. He began to perform athletic moves in hopes catching Stallone’s attention and landing a role in a future action film. The private security guarding Stallone’s home were not impressed and quickly subdued the intruder before he was sent to jail.

It should be noted that Stallone wasn’t home at the time. If your goal is to impress an action star, you should make sure he’s home. Considering how quickly the private security took him into custody, it would seem that perhaps the intruder had an inflated sense of his own skills. It might be time for this criminal to look into a different line of work.

4. LL Cool J (2012)

In 1990, LL Cool J released the hit single “Mama Said Knock You Out.” In 2012, LL proved that he meant it. His security alarm system alerted him to an unwelcome guest. When he went downstairs to investigate, a fight ensued. Before the night was over, the would-be burglar had a broken jaw, ribs and nose and was en route to the hospital, having gained nothing but a severely battered ego. LL, on the other hand, maintained his cool and calmly described the scene and his act of self-defense to the responding police officers.

Not only did the home invader fail to come away with anything of value, but he lost a pretty penny in the failed attempt. The burglar ended up $6000 in the hole due to insurance not covering the medical costs.

LL proved the value in a two-step security system. The custom security system installed on LL’s home alerted him to the danger, and he also had the muscle to defend his home. If only we could include him in all of our security system installations.

5. Jon Bon Jovi (2011)

While LL Cool J delivered a one-two security punch, custom security systems can sometimes be enough. Just ask Jon Bon Jovi.

In April of 2011, an intruder made his way into Bon Jovi’s New Jersey home and left with $100,000 worth of jewelry. The crook made it out of the house and thought he’d gotten away with the loot.

Luckily, Bon Jovi’s advanced security system gathered enough information to track down the burglar. He was eventually caught red-handed, hiding in a bathroom stall. Not only was he carrying the jewelry taken from Bon Jovi’s home, but he also had $400,000 worth of jewelry stolen from other homes on him as well.

The criminal probably would have been better off calling it quits with the initial $400,000, but robbers greedy enough to try to steal from the rich and famous don’t always think their actions through. If you succeed at gaining entry into a celebrity’s house and then leave without being confronted, the whole affair was probably too easy. Bon Jovi’s security system might not have stopped the robbery, but it sure did prevent the robber from stealing from anyone in the future.

6. Céline Dion (2011)

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a burglar truly wants to steal or wants to feel close to a celebrity. Such is the case with the 2011 break-in at Céline Dion’s Montreal home.

Shortly after the burglar entered Dion’s home, he apparently became hungry, so he made his way to Dion’s refrigerator and helped himself to some pastries. After his snack, he decided to take a bath. Fortunately for Dion and unfortunately for the intruder, the home was equipped with a sophisticated security system, so the police were immediately notified that something was amiss. When they arrived to investigate, the intruder was stepping into the bath.

Who knows what was really going through the man’s mind, but apparently Dion keeps an inviting home — so inviting that would-be thieves have a hard time leaving once they gain entrance! Even so, the robber failed to adhere to a basic principle of robbery: get in, get out and do it quick. Don’t stick around to give people the chance to catch up with you. And no matter how much you may need one, a home invasion is no time to take a bath.

7. Nicholas Cage (2011)

Knowing that an unwelcome guest disrobed in your home when you weren’t around is unsettling, as was the case with Céline Dion, but having the same thing happen when you are actually home is even more disturbing.

One night, Cage was sleeping soundly in his Orange County home when he was suddenly awakened by a naked man eating a Fudgsicle while wearing his leather jacket. With the intruder standing over his bed, Cage was understandably unsettled, especially considering his young son was sleeping in a room nearby.

Cage kept calm and handled the situation. The intruder was apparently suffering from some severe mental disorders. Thankfully, Cage convinced him to leave without further incident. Cage has commented that, on the surface, it seems like a humorous tale, but he found the experience to be quite horrifying.

Cage was generous enough not to press charges, and he made sure that the intruder received the help he needed. He was disturbed enough, however, that he promptly sold his home and moved to the Bahamas.

8. Prince (2009)

Sometimes the intruder becomes almost as famous as the victim. Such is the case when a rising pop star invades the home of one who is already established. Although some people question the voracity of the tale, pop singer Ke$ha recently told the world that she once broke into Prince’s home in order to give him one of her demo CDs.

According to Ke$ha, she bribed the gardener with $5 so that he would stay quiet as she crawled under the fence. She eventually made it to Prince’s practice space, where he was working on new material with his band. She handed a stunned Prince her music and then was silent as she was escorted out by a displeased security team.

Ke$ha eventually became a household name on her own. Prince never contacted her about the demo and didn’t press charges, but Ke$ha has stated that she would have preferred to have been arrested because of the notoriety it would bring. The stunt may have indeed brought her into the limelight, but we can think of a number of better ways to earn renown.

9. Moby (2011)

Moby is famous for being a super chill vegan, so perhaps his reaction to this break-in shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. One morning, Moby woke up to find a complete stranger, whom he identified as “Robbie,” sitting in his living room. Obviously confused and concerned, Moby calmly asked the man to leave.

Although the intruder verbally indicated that he was going to cooperate, he never moved. Finally, after repeated prompting, the man admitted that he was under the influence of LSD and wasn’t sure what to do. Moby, showing a surprising level of accommodation, found the man a sweatshirt because mornings in the area are famously cold. Moby also gave him money for breakfast. The man thanked him and admitted that entering Moby’s home was a terrible idea, something he’d never do were he not under the influence of hallucinogens.

Although Moby was concerned for the young man’s well-being, he admitted that it could have been much worse. Realizing that the next intruder may not be such a harmless soul, Moby decided to start locking his doors.

Considering how often celebrities are the victims of break-ins, we think Moby might be a little too nice.

10. Queen Victoria (1838-1841)/Queen Elizabeth II (1982)

Not every celebrity break-in victim comes from the 21st century. We’re sure security is a bit tighter around the British Royal Family these days, but even queens have seen their personal belongings pilfered.

A young man managed to break into Buckingham Palace three separate times. He claimed he only wanted to get close to the queen. Unfortunately, he took it a bit further. He admitted to opening and reading a personal letter written to the queen — and even stealing a pair of her underwear!

Some have argued that the intruder was the first known celebrity stalker. He was eventually sent to Australia, then to a penal colony for the British Empire.

Royal security became far more robust in the 20th century, but another intruder successfully entered Buckingham Palace in 1982 and reportedly made it as far as Queen Elizabeth II’s bed chamber before he was caught. He repeatedly tripped the security alarms, but the guards on duty thought that someone breaking into Buckingham Palace was absurd, so they turned them off, assuming them to be false.

Twenty years after the fact, the intruder still remembers what the queen’s nightgown looked like. The break in proved to be a great embarrassment for the Crown, and they have since taken all alarms very seriously. And considering Buckingham Palace houses the royal family in one of the world’s richest countries, you’d imagine that they would have the best home security system money can buy!

How You Can Avoid These Celebrity Fates?

With so many stories of high-profile robberies, many of you are probably asking, “what about security systems for my home?” Luckily for you, at Titan Alarm, we don’t differentiate between security systems for mansions and systems for family homes. We give all of our customers the same kind of personal attention and care, no matter how large your home is!

Trust Titan Alarm

Unlike most home alarm companies, our installations are full service. We don’t send a subcontractor to do our installations for us. Anyone who comes to your home works directly for our company. We think this is essential for installing home security systems. We want you to feel confident in every installation. We know you are trusting us to help protect you, your family and your home.

Our security installations come complete with the latest in security technology. Our installations can be controlled with a smart phone and are fully automated. If you want a security system that does not require web access, we can also install local, remotely controlled systems. We are proud to offer this kind of versatility and customization.

Our systems come with a number of industry leading features, such as:

Motion detection
Video monitoring
Instant alerts
Visual verification image sensors

Homeowners throughout the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan region have turned to Titan Alarm for their home security needs. Don’t make the same mistake as Moby and Paris. Protect your home from those who want to rob you and do you harm.

Here at Titan Alarm, we believe in the importance of the highest quality residential security systems. Every system we install is backed by a family company committed to excellence and honesty. Contact Titan Alarm today and connect with our friendly and professional staff. Get started on your custom home alarm system right away!

Learn More About Burglar Alarm Systems for Your Home

Updated by Titan Alarm on October 31, 2018.