On October 3, 2016, American star Kim Kardashian was the victim of a spectacular robbery during Paris Fashion Week. Prada was valued at 9 million euros (almost 11 million dollars and about 39,000 million Colombian pesos).
One of the protagonists of the robbery, Yunice Abbas, has just published the book “J’ai séquestré Kim Kardashian” (“I kidnapped Kim Kardashian”) telling her version of the robbery.
Abbas is now 67 years old, with two children and 3 grandchildren.
Christophe Petit Tesson. EFE
The author told the French press “Paris Match” that he had never heard of celebrity before the event. This made it easier for Aomar Aït Khedache, the leader of the attack, to hide the scope of the plan.
“He just told me that our victim was the wife of a famous rapper. I didn’t want to find out more at that time, “he said.
He was detained for this case for 22 months and, since October 2018, has been on probation pending trial.
An unconventional criminal gang
His group was known as the “grandparents’ band” because its five members were between 60 and 72 years old.
But behind the faces of “loving grandparents” were men with long criminal backgrounds who planned the coup for weeks.
Abbas told “Paris Match” that “someone from the Kardashian team” gave them information about where they were staying. With that clear information, the band members made information to know the times when they left and entered the place.
The day of the robbery
Everything was aligned so that the robbery went perfectly.
The star’s bodyguard, one of her sisters and a driver they hired in Paris went to a nightclub. Her mother, in turn, went to a hotel. And she stayed in the apartment with her personal secretary. “What interested us was his diamond. That attracted us. He had photos of him everywhere,” Abbas said in an interview with EFE about the engagement ring Kardashian wore. she had given to her partner, rapper Kanye West.
(You may also be interested: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West would be in crisis and about to separate).
The gang entered the scene in fake police jackets. According to Abbas for the “Paris Match”, they opted for this closet due to the police raids that take place in the area in search of drugs.
He said he did not see the actress directly, but rather took responsibility for keeping the building’s doorman. His team brought the man into the apartment to use him as a translator because he spoke English.
For Abbas, the robbery was simple and quick, because Kardashian did everything they asked. In addition, the loot was bigger than expected because they found a lot of luxury jewelry.
“There was no need to threaten. She cooperated. In general, it’s always like that. There’s no reason to resist, it would be stupid.”added the man, of Algerian origin, to “EFE”.
Finally, they fled in silence: Abbas rode his bicycle with a companion. The others went on foot.
“Less than ten minutes passed between arrival and departure,” he said in an interview with EFE.
Christophe Petit Tesson. EFE
Capture
The key point in catching Abbas was his DNA. “I wore two pairs of gloves, but I touched the receptionist to check it,” he told Paris Match.
His fingerprints remained on the rope with which he tied the man, so they were able to find him on the morning of January 9, 2017, three months after the assault.
Police found money and jewelry, but the thief believes there are 7 million euros left unattended.
He has been charged with robbery in an organized gang and kidnapping, and his trial will take place in at least a year, so he will remain free while it happens, although it is unclear about his chances of entering from new to prison (it has already been 21 years in prison for other past robberies).
Of those stolen, Abbas received 70,000 euros (almost $ 84,270 and over 300 million pesos) and said that if he ever coincided with Kim Kardashian, he would apologize. “If you don’t want to or you can’t, it’s your right. I’m sorry, but I can’t do more, I can’t come back,” he concluded in his discussion with “EFE”.
WEATHER trends
* With information from EFE