A couple in Paris, western France, was recently subjected to a violent home invasion. Three assailants, posing as police officers, forced their way into the couple's home and coerced them at knifepoint to transfer approximately €900,000 (around $980,000) worth of Bitcoin to wallets controlled by the criminals. The incident occurred after the woman opened the door and was immediately confronted by the intruders, who threatened her with a knife and forced her to comply with the transfer.
Fortunately, the woman managed to free her husband and call for help from neighbors, which ultimately brought the hijacking to an end. The Versailles Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the case, with charges including organized armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a crime. The case is being handled by the French Anti-Robbery Brigade (BRB). As of press time, no suspects have been arrested.
In recent years, France has seen a rise in similar "wrench attack" cases, where victims are coerced into handing over their crypto assets through violent means. This trend has raised widespread concerns about the secure custody of cryptocurrencies.
