Businessman beaten by crypto thieves who threatened pregnant wife

A businessman was beaten with hammers by masked intruders who broke into his home and threatened his heavily pregnant wife unless he transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds in cryptocurrency. The couple described the attack to the BBC as "horrific" and expressed fear for their unborn baby's life.

The attackers fled with the man's crypto savings after he transferred them. Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information regarding the incident, which is under police investigation and was captured on home security footage. This attack exemplifies a growing trend of violent robberies known as "wrench attacks" targeting cryptocurrency investors.

Experts state that these violent robberies have increased as the value of cryptocurrencies has risen. Similar incidents have been reported in the UK, France, and the US. Recovering cryptocurrency after it has been transferred is extremely difficult.

The victim, referred to as James by the BBC, stated that three intruders forced their way into his Solihull home and subjected him to a 45-minute assault. He attempted to fight back but was struck with hammers to his face, head, and ribs. His wife, seven months pregnant, was held down on the sofa with one assailant placing a pillow over her face.

The perpetrators appeared to know the victim owned cryptocurrency but struggled to access it, receiving instructions from an individual via video call. When a crypto wallet with significant funds was identified, the threats escalated: "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." The man ultimately transferred his savings, hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cryptocurrency, to the caller's digital wallet. Several Rolex watches were also stolen.