Three masked intruders beat a Solihull businessman with hammers and threatened his seven-months-pregnant wife before forcing him to transfer hundreds of thousands of pounds in cryptocurrency. The couple described a violent crypto robbery that highlights a risk distinct from hacking: criminals can target the person who controls the assets.
The case is part of a wider concern about wrench attacks, in which violence or threats are used to make someone unlock a device, reveal wallet access or authorize a transfer. “People need to understand these risks are real,” James told the BBC.
NEW: Crypto thieves stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from a UK investor after breaking into his home, beating him with hammers, and threatening his pregnant wife, the BBC reported.
The attackers forced the victim to transfer his crypto before fleeing with several Rolex… pic.twitter.com/jYP4Uyvjpj
— The Block (@TheBlockCo) October 2, 2026
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How The Crypto Robbery Developed: Attackers Stole Crypto From The Solihull Couple
James said three intruders forced their way into the home and assaulted him for about 45 minutes, striking his face, head, and ribs with hammers. His wife was held down on a sofa and threatened; their baby later survived and was born at full term.
The attackers demanded James’s phone and appeared to take instructions from someone connected through a live video call. After the caller identified a wallet containing substantial funds, James was threatened with harm to his wife and unborn child unless he transferred the cryptocurrency. The men left with the funds and several luxury Rolex watches.
James said: “He was basically saying: ‘Look, if you don’t send us this money now, we’re going to stab your wife in the stomach and kill your baby. We’re going to kill your wife.’” Police have not identified the attackers, and James said he has little hope of recovering the funds. The case adds to other reported crypto thefts involving targeted victims.
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What Wrench Attacks Mean for Crypto Security
Most crypto robbery takes place online through hacks and scams, but wrench attacks target holders in person. Crypto in self-custody is controlled directly by its owner through a digital wallet or a physical storage device. That control can reduce reliance on an intermediary, but it cannot prevent an owner from being coerced into handing over a phone or authorizing a transfer.
Chainalysis researchers warned:
The physical security assumptions that protect traditional wealth, such as bank vaults and armored cars, do not automatically apply in crypto.
Once a transfer is made, recovering the funds can be extremely difficult. A separate example of violence targeting crypto holders involved an employee in France, as detailed in reporting on a French wrench attack.
Different Datasets Point to a Growing Threat
Chainalysis research cited by the BBC recorded $30 million (£22.6 million) stolen in violent robberies through June 2026. The research said 2026 could become the worst year on record for violent crypto attacks, with home invasions increasing. It identified the United States, Brazil, and Thailand as hotspots, while France had the largest number of attacks in its data.
Separately, CertiK recorded 52 verified wrench-attack incidents worldwide in the first half of 2026, with approximately $124.1 million in recorded exposure. CertiK says its figures cover verified public incidents and can include demands, transfers, and other recorded exposure; they are not a complete crime census. The two providers’ figures use different datasets and measures, so they should not be combined.
For holders, the practical point is that physical crypto robbery can bypass digital safeguards by putting people and families under direct pressure. Limiting public disclosure of holdings, separating funds, and considering multisignature arrangements may be part of risk planning. No setup guarantees protection from violence. Personal safety must come first.
Some holders also explore different Bitcoin custody options when deciding how to manage large balances.
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