Four masked men broke into a family home in Vendin-le-Vieil, a town in northern France, at around 4 a.m. on Sunday morning. The intruders restrained a couple and their two children, forcing the father to transfer €40,000, or about $46,000, in cryptocurrency before fleeing the scene. All four suspects remain at large, according to statements from local judicial authorities and police sources.
Family Targeted in Early Morning Attack
The assailants, described by the Béthune prosecutor’s office as wearing hoods, entered the home just before dawn and held the family captive for more than three hours. The victims included an eight-year-old and a twelve-year-old child. Police sources told France Télévisions that the intruders used black tape to bind the family, separated the father, and assaulted him to obtain his access credentials.
During the ordeal, the twelve-year-old daughter was struck in the face with car keys, sustaining minor injuries. After securing the victim’s identification codes, the perpetrators made off with the cryptocurrency, leaving the family tied up. The victims managed to free themselves and notified authorities, with emergency services arriving at the scene around 7 a.m.
Victims Receive Medical and Psychological Support
The Béthune prosecutor’s office reported that the father is a 40-year-old salaried IT specialist working in the digital currency sector. The case has been opened as kidnapping and extortion by an organized gang, and has been handed to the regional judicial police and France’s anti-cybercrime office for investigation. The family, reportedly in a state of shock, has been referred for forensic medical evaluation, and a victim support association is providing assistance.
Authorities said the attackers’ approach fits a pattern of so-called ‘wrench attacks,’ where physical violence or threats are used to coerce individuals into handing over digital assets. Unlike previous attacks in France, which have mainly targeted visibly wealthy individuals, this case involved a salaried employee in the blockchain industry and a comparatively modest sum.
Recent high-profile cases in France include incidents involving the father of a prominent crypto investor, the wife of a Sandbox co-founder, and the CEO of Binance France.
Sharp Increase in Global ‘Wrench Attacks’
Blockchain security firm CertiK reported a sharp rise in “wrench attacks” during the first half of 2026. The firm verified 52 such incidents worldwide in that period, compared to 39 in the first half of 2025. The financial losses from these attacks climbed to $124.1 million, almost twelve times higher than the $10.5 million reported during the same period last year.
Mini dictionary: CertiK is a blockchain security firm that performs audits and analyzes vulnerabilities in smart contracts and decentralized finance (DeFi) systems.
CertiK observed that the average haul per attack has increased significantly, reflecting the growing risk faced by crypto holders globally. Chainalysis, another blockchain analytics company, estimated total losses from wrench attacks at $30 million for 2026, while CertiK placed the figure far higher at $124 million for just the first six months.
| Firm | Period | Incidents | Losses ($ million) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CertiK | H1 2025 | 39 | 10.5 |
| CertiK | H1 2026 | 52 | 124.1 |
| Chainalysis | Full year 2026 | Not specified | 30 |
France Emerges as Hotspot for Crypto-Related Kidnappings
France now ranks as the country most affected by wrench attacks worldwide, according to the national anti-organized crime prosecutor’s office. In the first eight months of 2026, authorities recorded over 70 cases of kidnapping and unlawful detention linked to cryptocurrencies. A crackdown led to charges against 88 individuals, some of whom are minors.
The latest home invasion in Vendin-le-Vieil underlines the growing safety challenges faced by professionals in the crypto sector, as violent crime increasingly targets digital asset holders regardless of their level of public prominence.
France has recorded more than 70 kidnappings and unlawful detentions linked to cryptocurrencies in the first eight months of 2026, and authorities recently charged 88 people, including some minors, as part of a national crackdown.
