A BRITISH YouTube star was threatened at gunpoint by masked robbers as they carried out a terrifying £1.4million raid at a rented luxury villa in Cannes.
Ben Phillips, who boasts more than 30 million followers across his social media channels, was staying at the plush £8million property with his girlfriend, Lowri Clark, and three friends.
Sign up for The Jattvibe newsletter
Thank you!
YouTube star Ben Phillips was held at gunpoint in a terrifying robbery Credit: Ben Phillips
Phillips had been on a trip away with girlfriend Lowri Clark Credit: Instagram/lowriclark
Phillips, 33, and his entourage had rented Villa Bleu, in the Vallauris area of the seaside city, to celebrate one of their birthdays.
The Welsh influencer is well-known for his prank videos, which he has posted for 13 years, but was given a scare himself when a gang ransacked the property.
On June 2, the second night of their stay, Phillips stayed back at the villa while the rest went out for dinner.
At around 11.30pm, he heard a noise upstairs but thought it could be a cleaner.
SPIDERWEB 2.0
Putin installs anti-drone nets as tyrant fears repeat of Spiderweb attack
TODDLER TRAGEDY
Girl, 3, dies as bouncy castle is swept 12ft into air during thunderstorm
Thieves stole the couple’s Louis Vuitton luggage in the raid Credit: Instagram/lowriclark
The group of five were soaking in the sun in the south of France Credit: Ben Phillips
“I peeped through the door of the bedroom and as I looked out onto the stairs, there were five armed robbers,” he told WalesOnline.
“They ran towards me, and I shut the door quickly, but they started smashing it back at me, until it got to the point where someone got their arm around the door with a gun pointed at my face.
“They were smacking me to the head yelling: ‘Tell us where the money is’, ‘Where’s the cash?’, ‘Where’s the safe?’”
The social media star said the gang then began searching the property, taking jewellery and luxury possessions belonging to both him and Ms Clark.
Phillips has amassed 30 million social media followers through his prank videos Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
The influencer speaking to the police straight after the raid Credit: Instagram
He recalled standing in front of three of the robbers as they emptied bags and “grabbed everything”, while one of the thugs held a gun to his head.
The thieves also helped themselves to valuable items belonging to the owners of the villa.
Phillips lost between £400,000 and £500,000 in valuables in the raid, including three Rolex watches and their Louis Vuitton luggage.
The robbers are estimated to have run off with between £1.4 million and £1.5 million in total.
Shocking social media footage shows the ransacked villa Credit: Instagram
The gang tore through the property, stealing an estimated £1.4million in goods Credit: Instagram
Phillips said the most frightening moment came as the gang were about to leave.
He claimed one of the intruders ordered him to place one of his girlfriend’s dresses over his head and turn around.
Believing he was about to be executed, Phillips said he then heard a clicking noise as the gun jammed.
He claims that he managed to knock the weapon from the robber’s hand before dashing to a bathroom and locking himself inside.
The YouTuber said the gang attempted to force their way into the room but fled after he repeatedly shouted for police three times.
A major police response followed, with around 50 armed French officers and forensic investigators descending on the villa.
Phillips believes the suspects gained access to the property by climbing over a four-metre wall surrounding it.
French authorities have since arrested five people in connection with the robbery – three men aged 26, 31 and 36, and two women aged 31 and 34.
Two of the suspects were reportedly identified and arrested the day after the break-in after appearing on CCTV footage.
A spokesperson for French police said: “On June 2 at around 11.15 pm, three individuals with concealed faces and gloves entered a luxurious villa in Vallauris rented by a 33-year-old YouTuber with 4.5 million subscribers and his friends.
“In the aftermath of the robbery, a man suspected of receiving part of the loot was arrested by the BRI 06 teams.
“The man was trying to resell the stolen items to ‘a Nice-based company specialising in the purchase and resale of second-hand luxury goods’.
“Five people, three men aged 26, 36 and 31, a 34-year-old and a 31-year-old woman were presented to the Grasse prosecutor’s office and placed in pre-trial detention pending their immediate appearance.”
