5 headline-making Hermès Birkin handbag robberies: from Paris Hilton’s Bling Ring losses that also included Dior and Louis Vuitton bags, to RHOBH’s Kyle Richards and a hospitalised Saudi princess

Feb 17 , 2023

Photos: @kylerichards18/Instagram; Hermès; @parishilton/Instagram

The Hermès Birkin is one of the most covetable luxury handbags on the planet, with many on waiting lists willing to pay tens, even hundreds, of thousands of dollars for the accessory

But not all Birkin owners have managed to hold on to them; Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Kyle Richards was robbed of so many of her bags that Kris Jenner is helping her rebuild her collection

When the first Birkin was released back in 1984, French luxury goods maker Hermès changed how the world looked at handbags. One of the most aspirational accessories of all time, the bag (named after the English-French actress and singer Jane Birkin), is still going strong nearly 40 years later.

Vietnamese actress Ly Nha Ky’s Birkin collection is proudly displayed on the star’s Instagram. Photo: @lynhaky_artist/Instagram

As an unwavering status symbol and a bucket-list addition to any wardrobe, the bag sees long waiting lists. However, not everyone is willing to wait months to get their hands on this rarest of handbags. Each piece can cost anywhere between US$11,000 and nearly US$400,000 – and they sell like hot cakes as preloved items too.

Hermès Birkins have been made all the more covetable by celebrity fans like Victoria Beckham. Photo: Getty Images

Birkin burglaries are perhaps inevitable then, and don’t seem to have let up over the decades, much like the craze for the leather tote itself. From royalty to Hollywood A-listers and socialites, several high profile figures have had their Birkins stolen.

A US$129,000 crocodile skin Hermès Birkin bag is held aloft at a private opening for a new Hermès store on Wall Street in 2007. Photo: AFP

Listed below are some heart-wrenching examples of Birkin burglaries that have taken place in different parts of the world with people who have one thing in common – a deep love for the Hermès Birkin bag.

1. US$1 million worth of Hermès bags stolen from an Australian home

Hermès Birkins are among the most coveted – and expensive – accessories in the world, and seemingly never go out of style. Photo: Bruce Yan

With every collection of expensive bags comes a great responsibility to keep them safe. But when criminals are calculated in their means of attaining them, there’s little one can do. In 2015, thieves broke into an upscale Melbourne home while the owners were on holiday and made off with scores of bags, Australian newspaper The Age reported at the time.