The well-heeled residents of Sydney's Double Bay had a rude awakening on Thursday morning when their usual coffee run was interrupted by flashing lights and police tape.
PH Luxury, a boutique on fashionable Transvaal Avenue known for its curated collection of high-end designer pieces, was cordoned off following a brazen ram raid.
The business was targeted by thieves who used a stolen Volkswagen - reportedly pinched from Bondi days earlier - to smash through the storefront shortly before dawn.
Within seconds of crashing through the glass, the offenders, dressed in white face coverings, black tracksuit pants and Nike TNs - the shoe synonymous with the eshay subculture - allegedly stormed the store and made off with a haul of handbags.
The owner of PH Luxury, Paris Krimotat, was asleep at home when her husband, Lawrence, was woken by security alerts on his phone at about 4.30am.
'I thought it was probably a leaf blower that had set it off, and then I looked at the cameras and saw the car inside the store,' she said.
'I obviously freaked out. I called the police and they got there in a minute, but by the time they arrived, the offenders had already fled. The car engine was still running.'
Police allege the group, comprising two men and a possible driver, escaped moments before officers arrived, fleeing in a second stolen vehicle, an Audi, also reportedly taken from Bondi.
The resale business was founded in 2018 by eastern suburbs resident Paris Krimotat
PH Luxury Consignment on Transvaal Avenue was robbed at 4.30am on Thursday after the two thieves repeatedly backed a Volkswagen into the glass front to gain access to the boutique
The Volkswagen has been seized for forensic examination.
Officers are still determining possible motives and whether the incident has any links to organised crime. No arrests have been made and police inquiries are ongoing.
Reeling from the ordeal, the mother of two, who opened the boutique in 2018, told me she was devastated.
'It's been hard for me even to look at the footage,' she said. 'I still can't believe it. It's just devastating.'
Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command Detective Inspector Adam Solah said the offenders are believed to have stolen up to $100,000 worth of luxury merchandise.
However, Krimotat said only a preliminary stocktake had been completed in the hours after the heist, so that figure could well be higher.
'I'm not sure where those figures have come from because we haven't been able to do a thorough inventory yet,' she said.
'We have to do our checks, and it's so delicate that I don't want to spread misinformation.
Salim Mehajer (pictured) offered unsolicited advice following the ram raid in Double Bay
'So I'm trying to stay as calm as I can and deal with it properly.'
Amid the chaos, the local community, extended family, staff and loyal clients have rallied around the boutique.
'I felt so bad that the street was shut down for the entire day. Someone even had to cancel a Mother's Day event,' she said.
'But there has been a lot of love and support and that gives me strength to get through this.'
Taking to Instagram on Thursday evening, after a stressful day spent dealing with police, insurers, clients, media enquiries and getting her storefront boarded up, Paris gave followers an emotional update on the events.
'Hi, everyone. As a lot of you have seen online and on the news, our store was broken into in the early hours of this morning,' she said.
'This is extremely devastating. I just want to assure all our clients that we are handling it with the utmost care while working with the authorities.'
'As soon as we have any information, we will be sure to reach out. I appreciate all the messages and support, and we will get through this and come back stronger and better than ever,' she concluded, her voice shaking as she fought back tears.
Among the flood of supportive comments was some rather odd advice from disgraced property developer and former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer.
He suggested that she delete the video, offering a bizarre explanation that really said more about his own character.
The comments were later deleted after Paris' supporters laid into the jailbird who served several years behind bars for fraud and domestic violence.
YSL, Chanel and Gucci bags were among some of the designer items stolen in the raid
The high-end boutique was boarded up on Friday, but Paris insisted it would be business as usual from next week
Brushing off the bizarre interjection, Paris quipped that Mehajer was simply 'trying to get work' as a lawyer.
Mehajer has frequently claimed to be pursuing or holding legal qualifications, though official reports indicate he has not completed a law degree.
Speaking to the Mail on Friday, Paris confirmed it was an emotional time for her.
'I've had this business for so many years and worked incredibly hard. Of course I'm going to be shaken up,' she added.
Despite the ordeal, Paris insists it will be business as usual at PH Luxury next week.
'We just want to get back to normality. All the support we can get from clients, the more the better. We'll come back better than ever,' she said.