The post Spain, France arrest crypto thieves as wrench attacks escalate appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Authorities in France have arrested five individuals connected to the kidnapping of the father of a Dubai-based crypto influencer. The Spanish police also recently detained two suspected kidnappers aged 32 and 45.  As markets can’t decide between whether they want cryptocurrencies or not, causing prices to oscillate at levels beneath investors’ targets, criminals continue to show a great affinity for digital assets, resorting to physical violence more regularly. Experts are now advising traders on ways to protect themselves from physical harm following several cases of individuals being targeted for their digital assets. Why are criminals choosing physical violence over digital hacking? A 33-year-old Canadian cryptocurrency entrepreneur, who had traveled from Barcelona to Madrid to finalize a financial deal, was leaving a dinner on Claudio Coello Street on March 16 when he was ambushed. Several men were said to have been seen pepper-spraying the victim and then forcing him into a Ford Transit van with manipulated license plates. The Spanish National Police, acting on a tip-off, intercepted the vehicle and arrested two Serbian nationals, aged 32 and 45. A third suspect escaped, but they rescued the victim. Inside the van, police found plastic zip ties and sedative pills. The attackers attempted to steal the victim’s Bitcoin and his luxury watch valued at €100,000. In the early days of cryptocurrency, it was mostly sophisticated hackers who stole from traders, but now that hardware wallets and multi-factor authentication (MFA) have become the industry standard, there’s been a rise in wrench attacks (physical attacks). France has recorded 11 of the 14 major global wrench attacks so far in 2026. French authorities recently arrested five new suspects, including a 16-year-old, across Le Mans, Angers, and Épinal. They are linked to the kidnapping of the father of a Dubai-based crypto influencer in a 2024 incident. On…

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Filed under: News - @ March 19, 2026 8:28 am