A businessman was brutally attacked in his home by masked men who threatened to kill his heavily pregnant wife unless he transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds in cryptocurrency. The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, described the incident as "horrific" and expressed fears for their unborn child's life. The attackers fled in a getaway car after the man transferred his crypto savings.
Incident Overview
The attack occurred in Solihull in December last year and was captured on home security footage. Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information related to the incident, which is currently under police investigation. Experts have noted that this type of violent theft, known as a "wrench attack," is increasingly targeting cryptocurrency investors.
Details of the Attack
The man, referred to as James, reported that three intruders forced their way into his home and assaulted him for approximately 45 minutes.
“"The door gets pushed open, I can see gloves coming in, balaclavas," James recounted.
James attempted to defend himself but was struck multiple times with hammers. His wife, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was held down on the sofa by one of the attackers.
“"He's got a pillow over her face. He's literally suffocating her on the sofa. I can hear her screaming, 'I can't breathe'," James said.
