YouTuber Ben Phillips says he was held at gunpoint during a robbery at a luxury villa in southern France, where masked intruders allegedly stole around £1.4 million ($1.8 million) worth of valuables.
The Welsh content creator, known for his prank videos, was staying at Villa Bleu in Vallauris near Cannes with his girlfriend, Lowri Clark, and several friends when the incident occurred on June 2.
According to Phillips, he was alone at the property while the rest of the group was out for dinner. At around 11:30 p.m., he heard noises upstairs and initially assumed a staff member was still inside the villa.
When he looked out of a bedroom door, Phillips said he saw five armed and masked individuals inside the property. He told media outlets that the group rushed toward him, forced their way into the room, and demanded money and access to a safe.
Phillips claims the intruders spent time searching the villa before leaving with luxury watches, jewelry, designer luggage, and other high-value items belonging to both the guests and the property owners. His personal losses alone were reportedly estimated at between £400,000 and £500,000.
In social media posts following the incident, Phillips alleged that one of the robbers covered his head and attempted to fire a weapon, but the gun malfunctioned. He later said he managed to knock the weapon away and escape into a bathroom before authorities arrived.
French police reportedly launched a major response involving dozens of officers and forensic investigators. Authorities have since arrested five suspects in connection with the robbery, including three men and two women, who were placed in pre-trial detention.
Investigators also arrested an additional suspect accused of attempting to resell some of the stolen luxury goods through a second-hand luxury merchandise business.
The robbery is one of several high-profile incidents involving online creators in recent years. YouTubers including MrBeast and PewDiePie have previously reported burglaries targeting their homes and valuables.