Bye-bye Birkin burglaries; the focus has shifted to Chanel. In the early hours of Monday morning, a smash-and-grab robbery targeted the Chanel boutique on Avenue Montaigne in Paris. Four individuals drove to the front of the store and aggressively smashed the windows to break in. They grabbed the pricey Chanel goods and, surprisingly, lit the vehicle they arrived in on fire before escaping in a second car. “The individuals used a first vehicle to enter the establishment by breaking the window before fleeing in a second vehicle, taking goods from the store,” according to an AFP police source.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control, and the value of damage and losses is being assessed. The Chanel boutique has suffered a loss estimated between $6.5 million and $10.8 million, and the four burglars are still at large. As expected, Chanel has closed the store until further notice. “The amount of the loss is unknown at this stage. The shop will remain closed for a few days while the damage is repaired,” the company’s spokesperson added.
Chanel stores around the world have been targeted by robbers due to their coveted and expensive collections. In December 2023, a group of people robbed a Chanel store in downtown D.C. using a fire extinguisher as a distraction. The month before that, the Chanel store in Fashion Valley Mall was targeted twice within two weeks. Thieves absconded with thousands of dollars worth of handbags in well-coordinated smash-and-grab attacks.
The Chanel store on Avenue Montaigne is a sprawling 6,500-square-foot store spanning two floors. As it caters to VIP clients, its private salons are packed with exquisite pieces, which explains the almost $11 million worth of damage.
