Crypto thieves attack man in home and threaten to kill pregnant wife's baby in 'horrific' robbery

Crypto thieves invaded a resident’s home, assaulted the occupant and threatened to kill his pregnant wife’s unborn child in what authorities describe as a horrific robbery. Unlike wealth held successfully in a traditional bank account, cryptocurrency is often controlled directly by the owner through digital wallets or physical storage devices. For criminals, the combination of speed, anonymity and irreversibility makes crypto holders attractive targets. While the vast majority of cryptocurrency theft occurs online via hacks and scams, investigators at Chainalysis say “wrench attacks” have risen in recent years. According to their research, $30 million (£22.6 million) had been stolen so far this year up to June, making 2026 likely to become the single‑worst year on record for violent crypto attacks. Home invasions are also increasing this year, the firm found. The United States, Brazil and Thailand are hotspots, but France has seen the largest number of attacks by far, stemming from a data breach at a tax office that appears to have exposed affluent crypto holders. “The carnal information assumptions that support accepted wealth, specified arsenic slope vaults and armored cars, bash not automatically use successful crypto. Often, holders support their assets in comparatively debased information setups, similar self-custody wallets, that tin beryllium compromised without immoderate organization gatekeeper lasting successful the way,” said researchers in their report. James said he became an amateur cryptocurrency investor in 2020 and accumulated enough wealth to quit his job in 2023 to trade full time. Now he has lost everything and is seeking to return to his conventional occupation. Police have yet to identify the attackers. Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to progress in the investigation. Alan Edwards from the foundation hopes members of the public might provide details about the three attackers, the driver who was parked outside without a face covering, or the man who was on the phone. “These criminals are evidently superior and portion of immoderate benignant of organised transgression gang,” he said. “People mightiness be frightened to springiness america accusation but we are autarkic of the constabulary and support radical wholly anonymous.” The three assailants are each believed to be in their late teens or early twenties; one of them is a white male with a scar beneath his left eyebrow. James said he has little hope of recovering the stolen funds, but he wants those responsible brought to justice. He also wishes his experience to serve as a warning. “They threatened my woman and my baby,” he said. “People request to recognize these risks are real.”