Brangelina ex-bodyguard: Kim Kardashian’s robbery should warn her family, celebrities about dangers of social media
The former chief security aide of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt said Hollywood A-listers should not be too transparent about their whereabouts on social media to prevent being a target of criminals like what happened to Kim Kardashian, who was robbed in Paris.
Mark Billingham said celebrities should be careful with the amount of information they offer to disclose in social media.
“The thing with Kim is the amount of information out there. Social media is a dangerous thing,” Billingham told The Sun, referring to the 35-year-old reality star’s daily habit of posting photos about her luxurious lifestyle on Instagram.
“Kim can post pictures, but she shouldn’t share her location or she should post snaps after she has left,” he added.
The wife of rapper Kanye West has taken a low profile since the Oct. 3 break-in on her rented apartment in Paris. A five-man gang dressed in police uniforms reportedly gagged and tied Kardashian before speeding away with US$10 million (AU$14 million) worth of valuable jewelries.
Before the jewelry heist, Kardashian posted a photo of her US$3.4 million (AU$4.5 million) engagement ring on Instagram. The robbers took away the Lorraine Schwartz engagement ring alongside 12 pieces of jewelry from the “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” star. (Read: Kim Kardashian net worth: How the Paris robbery will affect Kim K's fortune)
If Billington was Kardashian’s bodyguard, the former British Army agent under the Special Air Service (SAS) said he would make sure that her itinerary was only seen by a few people. “Loose lips sink ships,” he pointed out.
Billington, who headed the security detail of the Pitt-Jolie household for 17 months, said celebrities should be trained to react when in danger and to set a contingency plan in cases of emergency. (Read: Kim Kardashian’s personal bodyguard owes $1.6 million in debt, police retrieves CCTV footage of theives' escape)
“I take through scenarios, show them a bit of self-defense and tell them what I will do in an emergency.
“They need to know I’m going to grab them and that I might need to be pretty physical.”
Billington is set to host UK reality show “SAS: Who Dares Wins,” wherein contestants will undergo elite military training. Aside from his stint in the Brangelina household, Billington was notable for his experience with Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, Russell Crow, Sean Penn and Kate Moss.
WATCH: Trailer: 'SAS: Who Dares Wins'
