Fake Police Break-In Robbery in France, Victims Forced to Transfer $1 Million in Bitcoin

BlockBeats reported that on April 21, French police are investigating a violent cryptocurrency 'wrench attack' case. On April 21, three criminals disguised as police officers broke into a residential home near Paris, threatened and controlled a couple in their 50s with knives, and forced the husband to transfer approximately $1 million worth of Bitcoin. Both victims were injured, the husband was tied up, and the criminals fled in a car after succeeding. This case highlights the growing security threat to cryptocurrency, shifting from digital attacks to physical coercion targeting holders. Criminals impersonate police officers and create a sense of urgency and fear, forcing victims to voluntarily authorize transactions, thereby completely bypassing all technical defense measures such as wallet encryption. Data shows that such 'wrench attack' cases significantly increased in 2025, rising by 75% compared to 2024, with France being a major hotspot. Financial losses caused by these incidents in 2025 reached $40.9 million, a year-on-year increase of 44%. In addition to kidnappings, physical assault cases surged by 250%. Security experts recommend that cryptocurrency holders avoid publicly discussing the scale of their assets, separate their on-chain identity from their real-world identity, use multi-signature wallets, and distribute key control.