YouTuber robbed of $1.8 million at luxury villa despite fighting off gunman

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YouTuber Ben Phillips reported being held at gunpoint during a robbery at a villa in Cannes. Masked intruders allegedly stole approximately $1.8 million (around £1.4 million) worth of items.

According to The Sun, prank video creator Phillips, who is Welsh, was vacationing at Villa Bleu in Vallauris with his girlfriend, Lowri Clark, and three friends when they were robbed on June 2nd.

So, I was chilling at the villa by myself – everyone else had gone out to eat. It was around 11:30 PM when I heard a sound coming from upstairs. My first thought was that it was probably just the cleaning staff, you know?

“I peeped through the door of the bedroom and as I looked out onto the stairs, there were five armed robbers,” Phillips told WalesOnline, via The Sun.

He said the group quickly came at him, breaking down the bedroom door. One of the robbers then held a gun to his face and demanded money and the safe’s contents.

According to Phillips, the burglars completely searched the property and stole jewelry, Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton bags, and other valuable items belonging to him, his partner Clark, and the homeowners. He estimates his personal losses to be between £400,000 and £500,000.

Ben Phillips says he disarmed gunman in Cannes villa robbery

In a post shared to Instagram Stories, Phillips wrote: “Few days ago I got robbed at gun point for £1.4 Million.”

They put a hood over my head and tried to shoot me to get rid of evidence, but the gun didn’t fire,” he said. “I’m just glad to be alive and able to share this.

Phillips also told WalesOnline that one robber ordered him to put one of his girlfriend’s dresses over his head and turn around. He said he heard a click, believing the weapon had jammed, knocked it away, and escaped into a bathroom.

Police reportedly responded with around 50 armed officers and forensic investigators.

French police have arrested five people related to the robbery: three men aged 26, 31, and 36, and two women aged 31 and 34. All five have been held for questioning and are currently in jail while the investigation continues, according to a police spokesperson.

“In the aftermath of the robbery, a man suspected of receiving part of the loot was arrested by the BRI 06 teams,” they explained. “The man was trying to resell the stolen items to ‘a Nice-based company specializing in the purchase and resale of second-hand luxury goods.”

Phillips isn’t alone – other YouTubers have been victims of robbery too. Early in his career, Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, had all of his belongings stolen and was even followed the night before the break-in.

In 2019, someone broke into PewDiePie’s home and stole valuable items like jewelry and expensive possessions.

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2026-06-11 17:49