Masked Gang Targets IT Worker in Violent Vendin-le-Vieil Crypto Heist

The home invasion began at 4 a.m. when the intruders breached the property, quickly overpowering the couple and their two children, aged eight and twelve. According to the Béthune prosecutor’s office, the assailants separated the father from his family, physically assaulting him to extract his digital identification and access codes. During the ordeal, the 12-year-old daughter was struck in the face with car keys. The perpetrators fled the scene with approximately €40,000 in assets, leaving the family bound until they managed to break free and alert emergency services around 7 a.m.

French authorities have launched a formal investigation into kidnapping and extortion by an organized gang, tasking the regional judicial police and the anti-cybercrime office with the search for the four suspects. This incident marks a grim continuation of a surge in violence targeting individuals linked to the digital currency sector. Official data reveals that France recorded more than 70 crypto-related kidnappings and unlawful detentions in the first eight months of 2026 alone, a sharp increase from previous years. Security firms and analysts note that home invasions now represent a growing share of these violent encounters, with the country accounting for the majority of documented "wrench attacks" globally this year.