Armed gunmen attacked a couple in Arles, France for cryptocurrency, but police intervened and escape

French Arles couple were forced to transfer cryptocurrency by armed robbers.

A couple in the southern French city of Arles was attacked at their home. Two masked armed gunmen broke into the house and forced them to transfer cryptocurrency. In the early morning of the crime, the gangster entered the house and tied the victim for more than two hours, threatening him with pistols and knives. The couple's children were also in the house.

Attack raises alarm over cryptocurrency-related crimes

The attackers tried to force the couple to hand over digital assets. Neighbors quickly called the police after hearing the cry for help in the house, and police officers from the Arles Police Station immediately responded. When police arrived, the suspect fled the scene and was not captured.

The case has now been transferred to the Specialized and Organized Crime Department of Nimes City for further investigation. Authorities said the victim had no criminal record and was not involved in the organized drug trade. Investigators have not yet confirmed how much, if any, cryptocurrency the couple holds.

Recent reports show that targeted attacks on cryptocurrency holders across France are on the rise, with attackers often using stolen or leaked personal data to target potential targets. This model has raised concerns about the personal safety of digital asset holders.

The victims themselves said that to avoid future risks, they "will no longer hold any cryptoassets," highlighting the atmosphere of fear created by the serial attacks on private cryptocurrency holders.

Investigators believe the gang intended to profit from digital transactions because the couple were specifically targeted because of the cryptocurrency they were presumed to hold. The suspect is still at large and law enforcement is continuing the pursuit.

Cryptocurrency-related violent crimes have increased sharply

In the first four months of 2026 alone, authorities recorded approximately 47 cases of kidnapping, illegal detention or extortion involving cryptocurrency. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that as of the end of June, the total number of such criminal incidents had reached 77, compared with 45 for the whole of 2025. Since January, nearly 80 cryptocurrency-related attacks have been recorded nationwide, and about 200 people have been arrested during incidents or preventive operations.

The National Organized Crime Department cited data showing that there were 18 such incidents in 2024, increasing to 67 in 2025. This surge suggests a worrying rise in violent crime against digital asset owners.

Security agencies observed that of the 52 so-called "wrench attacks" confirmed globally in the first half of 2026, 33 occurred in France, while a total of 39 occurred across Europe. The number of home invasion robberies has soared from just one in early 2025 to 20 in the same period in 2026.

Several previous cases have attracted attention: At the end of August, a man was imprisoned by intruders in the city of Joui-en-Josa for two hours. The bandits allegedly demanded millions of euros and eventually stole 3000 euros. Earlier in the same month, a burglary occurred in the city of Rijondrande, with the alleged motive of obtaining a large amount of Bitcoin and other crypto assets.

Data breaches promote criminal targeting

Major data breaches have contributed to the growth of such crimes. In August, it was reported that a hacker peddled the tax records of more than 678,000 individuals and entities, including names, addresses and income details, stolen from the French tax authorities. Security agencies also mentioned that a tax official was accused of extracting cryptocurrency holder information from government databases and selling it to criminal gangs.

While attackers continue to look for new methods, a broader trend has emerged: most traditional markets rely on intermediaries and brokers, and Wall Street is accelerating its shift to Web3 solutions. Investors are turning to certain platforms that allow them to directly hold shares of major U.S. company stocks, gold and silver in their crypto wallets. Tokenization of real-world assets and rapidly automated price discovery mechanisms are eliminating intermediate links in transactions and changing the landscape of asset custody and trading.

As the number of cases increases, investigators continue to track criminal networks that exploit the value of digital assets and leak personal data. Victims are reassessing their asset security strategies amid growing concerns about personal safety and targeted extortion.