Fake delivery driver holds crypto investor at gunpoint
A man posing as a delivery driver forced a family into a room at gunpoint near Montpellier on April 11; the father overpowered the intruder and a shot was fired, no one injured.
On April 11 in Saint-Jean-de-Védas, a suburb of Montpellier, a man who presented himself as a delivery driver entered a family home, produced a handgun and forced the parents and their children into a room. During a struggle the father wrestled the weapon away, a single shot was fired and no one was injured. Investigators later identified and arrested a 25-year-old suspect; he has been charged and remanded in custody while police investigate whether he acted alone.
Authorities say the suspect gained access by claiming to be a delivery worker before producing the firearm and demanding control of the household. The Montpellier research section of the Gendarmerie carried out the identification and arrest. Police continue to question witnesses and examine evidence from the scene.
Police and cybersecurity analysts are treating the incident as part of a pattern of attacks against people known or suspected to hold cryptocurrencies. Known as “wrench attacks,” these crimes involve using threats or physical violence at victims’ homes to force transfers of digital assets or to obtain wallet recovery information.
Security data show at least 41 crypto-linked kidnappings and home invasions in France so far this year. Global reports indicate a 75% rise in wrench attacks in 2025, totaling 72 cases worldwide, with France recording the highest number for a single country. Investigators and cyber specialists say some groups combine online research and leaked customer records to identify likely crypto holders and their addresses.
Officials point to recent data exposures that they say have made it easier for criminals to build target lists. In January, a breach at a payment partner for a hardware wallet company exposed names, contact details and order information for some buyers of physical wallets. Recent French cases have included staged police raids, abductions and threats to force large crypto transfers. Authorities have launched a prevention platform for crypto holders and are coordinating with the Interior Ministry on measures to address the trend. Police advise people who hold significant cryptocurrency to protect purchase details and report any suspicious approaches to law enforcement.
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