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ZEC $1,315 Masked robbers force UK crypto holder to transfer funds in Solihull
Three masked men attacked a Solihull couple, forcing the husband to hand over cryptocurrency worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Key takeaways
- The loss was large. James transferred cryptocurrency worth hundreds of thousands of pounds to a wallet controlled by a remote attacker.
- A reward is offered. Crimestoppers is offering £10,000 for information leading to those responsible for the attack.
- The assault was long. James said three masked men subjected him to a 45-minute assault while his wife, seven months pregnant, was held down.
What happened
Three masked men forced their way into a home in Solihull, southeast of Birmingham, and attacked a couple inside. The husband, named in reports as James, said he was struck with hammers as he tried to fight back. His wife, who was seven months pregnant, was pinned to a sofa and suffocated with a pillow.
The attackers did not say at first what they wanted. They demanded that James unlock his phone, and another person gave them instructions over a live video call, asking to see which apps were installed. The call identified a crypto wallet holding a significant but undisclosed amount of funds, and the men threatened to stab the pregnant woman and kill their unborn child unless the money was sent.
James transferred cryptocurrency worth hundreds of thousands of pounds to a wallet controlled by the person directing the attack remotely. The men also took several luxury Rolex watches and left in a car driven by a getaway driver. James later heard the caller say the on-site attackers could keep ten grand each while he took the rest.
Police are investigating the incident. Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to those responsible. The baby survived and was born at full term.
Why it matters
The case is described as a wrench attack, a form of physical coercion in which criminals target cryptocurrency holders directly and force them to surrender digital assets. Industry figures have been targeted in the same way, including Binance's David Prinçay and Ledger co-founder David Balland.
One report links the case to a wider pattern. It notes that Jonathan Meléndez, a member of the Mexican rock band Camilo Séptimo, and his pregnant wife were killed in an attack where acquaintances sought a hardware wallet said to hold $1.5 million worth of bitcoin. Physical attacks on bitcoin holders have climbed in recent years, the report adds.
What the data shows
- Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to those responsible.
- James said three masked men subjected him to a 45-minute assault.
- His wife was seven months pregnant when she was held down on the sofa.
- The couple lost hundreds of thousands of pounds in cryptocurrency.
- In the Mexico case, a hardware wallet was said to hold $1.5 million worth of bitcoin.
- James heard the remote caller say the on-site attackers could have 10 grand each.
What is still unclear
- The reports do not give the exact sum transferred, describing the wallet as holding a significant but undisclosed amount of funds.
- The couple did not reveal their identity, and the reports give no exact date for the attack beyond December.
- The reports do not identify the person who directed the attackers over the video call.
Questions readers ask
What is a wrench attack?
A wrench attack is a form of physical coercion in which criminals target cryptocurrency holders directly and force them to surrender their digital assets. The Solihull case is described this way.
Where did the UK crypto home attack happen?
It happened at the couple's home in Solihull, southeast of Birmingham. Police are investigating the incident.
How much cryptocurrency was stolen in the Solihull attack?
Reports say James transferred cryptocurrency worth hundreds of thousands of pounds to a wallet controlled by the attacker directing events remotely. The exact figure was not disclosed.
Who else has been targeted in crypto wrench attacks?
Reports name Binance's David Prinçay and Ledger co-founder David Balland. They also describe an attack in Mexico in which Jonathan Meléndez and his pregnant wife were killed.
