Celebrity Break-Ins And Crazed Fans: When Fans Break Into Celebrity Homes

Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Sandra Bullock has just recently discovered how far some fans will go to come into contact with their idols as a man broke into her Beverly Hills home in the early hours on Tuesday. Since being arrested, the man who has been identified as Joshua Corbett who is aged 39 and resides in the San Fernando valley, Los Angeles.

A man broke into Bullock's Beverly Hills home while she was inside.

Despite the apparent exclusivity and subsequent security that Beverly Hills affords inhabitants, Bullock’s run-in with the obsessive fan proves that they will often go to ridiculous measures in order to gain recognition from the subject of their adoration. It also presents a worrying security concern as a lapse in mental health often fuels these celebrity obsessions. Most famously, John Hinckley Jr’s assassination attempt on then President, Ronald Raegan, was seen by Hinckley as a way of courting the attention of actress Jodie Foster. But to have a fan invade one’s personal space and most intimate of dwellings is a unsettling notion for most people, never mind those of the celebrity calibre. Here are a selection of unfortunate celebs who’ve been subject to break-ins, robberies and warped fans who got a little too close for comfort.

 Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen was rudely awakened by a man in her bedroom in 1982.

Known as the biggest royal security breach of the 20th Century, a steel erector and safe-breaker named Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in 1982 and managed to enter the Queen’s bedroom, waking her before swiftly leaving and eventually being caught by police. Fagan reportedly ate cheese and crackers, drank half a bottle of white wine and had a short rest on the throne during his brief visit to the heart of the British monarchy. It was a rude wake-up call for the Elizabeth II and proved that despite a fourteen foot fence, copious alarms and security guards, the head of state was still vulnerable. 

The Bling Ring

Lohan, along with several other celebrities, were victims of The Bling Ring.

The subject of Sofia Coppola’s 2013 film starring Emma Watson, The Bling Ring gang were a group of seven teenagers who broke into a selection of celebrities homes between 2008 and 2009, resulting in thefts of possessions amounting to somewhere in the region of $3 million. Paris Hilton was the most prolific victim of the burglaries and her house was robbed on at least five occasions. Other victims of the gang included The Hills star Audrina Partridge, OC actress Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox as well as Lindsey Lohan. When the gang were finally caught by police, they discovered plans to rob the homes of Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Hilary Duff and Vanessa Hudgens.

Kate Moss

Moss was robbed of a portrait by street artists Banksy.

As the English supermodel and fashion icon slept soundly in her bed, thieves broke into her London home to relieve her of some truly iconic artwork which included a portrait by the artist Banksy, worth a reported $140,000. Moss, then boyfriend Jamie Ince and her mother, Linda, were sleeping upstairs as robbers made a sneaky entrance into the luxury apartment. Theories abounded that it was the work of either The Bling Ring themselves, some of which were still at large at this point in 2010, or a copycat robber. Either way, the artwork has yet to be recovered.

More: Prince Plays For Kate Moss At Intimate Gig 

P Diddy

An intruder ate Diddy's food and tried on his clothes.

Diddy’s properties have been targeted many times over the years but one break-in in particular sticks out as a particularly odd occurrence of a similar vein to that which befell the Queen in 1982. 30 year-old Quamine Taylor successfully broke into Diddy’s property via an unlocked basement window, but instead of stuffing as many diamond watches and hard cash into his pockets and doing a runner, Taylor hung around the house and made himself right at home. Upon finally being caught, Taylor explained that it was far from the first time he had broken into the rapper’s property, and had done so on multiple occasions under the reuse that he was part of Diddy’s extended entourage. Whilst inside the property, Taylor helped himself to the rapper’s food and drink and modelled the clothes found inside Diddy’s wardrobe.

More: P Diddy Changes Name Back To Previous Moniker Puff Daddy

Britney Spears

Spears has been the victim of several instances of harrassment by fans.

In an incredible act of desperation at integrating with Britney’s inner circle, Canadian man Daniel Lechamp travelled to her family’s home in Louisiana where he allegedly harassed the singer’s parents. He pleaded guilty to charges of harassment and was gifted a restraining order for his efforts to get near the singer. However, Lechamp seemed unperturbed by this setback and busied himself finding fresh ways of gaining proximity to the singer. The self-styled musician shaved his beard in an effort to look less like a stalker and performed a song on the TV program Celebrity Justice in honour of Spears.

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