Veteran ‘Grandpa Robber’ in Kim Kardashian Paris Heist Dies at 69
Let’s cut to the chase: Didier Dubreucq’s name is finally off the docket—and history books—after the so-called “Grandpa Robber” succumbed to lung cancer at 69. Dubreucq, nicknamed “Blue Eyes,” had just been handed a seven-year sentence (with five years suspended) for the brazen October 2016 Paris jewelry heist that targeted Kim Kardashian during Fashion Week. His passing comes barely a month after a Paris court convicted him and seven others, cementing one of the decade’s most sensational celebrity crime sagas.
Dubreucq’s decades-long career of high-end burglaries across Europe came to a head when five armed, masked thieves stormed Kardashian’s rented apartment in the early morning hours—tying her up at gunpoint and fleeing with more than $10 million in jewels. Prosecutors leaned heavily on phone intercepts, CCTV footage from nearby buildings, and the discovery of a recovered necklace fragment in Dubreucq’s kitchen. His defense team insisted he was the victim of a mistaken identity, but the court found the collective evidence overwhelming.
Hospitalized throughout much of the trial due to his advanced lung cancer, Dubreucq was absent from the May 23 verdict reading. Thanks to two years spent in pretrial detention—time that counted toward his final term—he never faced a return to prison. His co-defendant, Daniel Mendoza, remains in custody appealing a separate conviction, while two other suspects walked free when the court acquitted them, citing insufficient proof.
Kim Kardashian’s own testimony painted a harrowing scene: certain she would be raped or killed as a gun was waved inches from her temple. The incident prompted her team to overhaul celebrity security standards worldwide—installing reinforced vaults, bulletproof glass, and 24/7 armed guards. The so-called “Grandpa Robber” affair has since inspired multiple true-crime podcasts and a forthcoming documentary series examining crimes against the ultra-wealthy.
In the days following Dubreucq’s death announcement, Parisian police released statements confirming his passing but declined to comment on any ongoing investigations or recovered assets. Meanwhile, Kardashian’s representatives issued a brief note expressing relief that “a dangerous individual’s chapter has closed,” while reaffirming their commitment to protecting high-profile clients.
And there you have it: the end of a criminal’s final act and a stark reminder that no vault is impenetrable—and no sentence guaranteed to play out. Make of that what you will, and watch this space for updates on recovered loot and pending appeals.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Tmz.com, People.com
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
