A UK-based crypto trader says intruders entered his home, restrained him with tape, held him at knifepoint, and stole $800,000 in cryptocurrency during a Monday night robbery. The victim posted a warning on social media describing the incident and flagged a Solana wallet he identified as containing the stolen funds.
Blockchain records show the wallet received 346.13 SOL and 718,735.8 USDC over a 20-minute period on October 12. The combined deposits were worth approximately $756,000 at current exchange rates. Within 32 minutes of the victim's public post on October 13, the cryptocurrency was transferred to new addresses and dispersed.
The swift movement of funds suggests the perpetrators were monitoring social media activity. The choice to move the USDC stablecoin is notable because Circle, the stablecoin issuer, can freeze funds at the contract level, creating urgency for thieves to move stolen funds quickly before authorities can intervene.
Rising Trend of Violent Crypto Theft
Security firm Chainalysis documented $30 million in wrench attacks—robberies involving physical coercion—during the first half of 2026. Home invasions showed a significant increase, rising from a single publicly reported case in the prior year to 20 incidents, representing approximately 41% of all such attacks. Europe accounted for roughly three-quarters of these cases.
Similar incidents have occurred across multiple regions. In September, UK police investigated a December home invasion in Solihull where three men followed a couple inside, assaulted the husband, threatened his pregnant wife with a knife, and forced a cryptocurrency transfer while a fourth suspect provided directions remotely. Crimestoppers offered a £10,000 reward for information on that case.
Last week, three armed men raided a gated home near Pattaya and robbed an expat of approximately $820,000 in cryptocurrency at gunpoint, a sum nearly identical to the UK incident.
