The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Found: Gem that could give crucial DNA clue in hunt for Kardashian jewel raiders

- From Peter Allen

POLICE hunting the armed gang who robbed Kim Kardashian of millions of pounds worth of jewellery have discovered a vital clue.

A gemstone dropped outside the Paris hotel where she was targeted could provide vital DNA evidence in an investigat­ion which has so far made little progress, despite being the centre of global media interest.

‘A piece of stolen jewellery was found close to the block, and was presumably dropped by the gang,’ a source close to the investigat­ion revealed. ‘It suggests that the criminals may have made mistakes because they were in such a hurry.’

The news came as the 35-year-old reality TV star filed a £4.5million insurance claim for the stolen items, including a £3.2 million engagement ring presented to her by rapper husband Kanye West. She is also set to seek a fortune in compensati­on to cover trauma and lost earnings.

The source confirmed that Ms Kardashian ‘is beginning civil action in order to recover losses’.

The star left France on a private plane within hours of the crime in the early hours of Monday morning. She says she had a gun pointed to her head, and was tied up and gagged by the raiders, who posed as police. An unidentifi­ed French concierge was the only other direct witness, and says he suffered the same fate as Ms Kardashian.

French authoritie­s are privately concerned that Ms Kardashian left Paris so soon after her ordeal, and admit that questions are mounting about the security that night.

There was no sign of forced entry, and no apparent reason why anybody would have allowed unidentifi­ed men entry in the middle of the night without checking their alleged police credential­s.

The assailants were said to be white, middle-aged Frenchmen who arrived and left by bicycle, and may have been caught on CCTV. Yet, almost a week later, no images have been released, and no explanatio­n has been offered for this.

Ms Kardashian said she was able to ‘wriggle out’ of hand ties, before screaming from a balcony, but neighbours have told police they heard nothing.

Her spokesman did not respond to requests for comment last night.

 ??  ?? ‘TRAUMA’: Kim Kardashian in Paris before the raid and, below, afterwards with no engagement ring
‘TRAUMA’: Kim Kardashian in Paris before the raid and, below, afterwards with no engagement ring

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