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Wealthy California crypto holders targeted in violent ‘wrench attacks’
ktla ^ | Apr 5, 2026 / | Josh DuBose

Posted on 04/05/2026 8:59:01 PM PDT by BenLurkin

A series of so-called “wrench attacks,” violent robberies targeting wealthy cryptocurrency holders, are making headlines after victims in Los Angeles and the Bay Area were targeted, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

On Nov. 22, a San Francisco man was robbed of $13 million in digital currency after thieves posing as pizza delivery drivers forced their way into his home, bound him with duct tape, beat him with a firearm and threatened to cut off his fingers.

The victim told investigators he had been expecting a package when a man carrying a white box arrived on the front porch of his Mission Dolores home around 5 p.m.

He was reportedly pushed away from the door and overtaken. For the next hour, a suspect inside the home and another on the phone demanded his passwords and ultimately made off with $10 million in Bitcoin and $3 million in Ethereum, according to The Chronicle.

Experts say the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies and the ability to transfer large sums in irreversible transactions, features that attract speculators, also make large account holders vulnerable to bad actors.

Three attempted wrench attacks in Sunnyvale, San Jose and Los Angeles that occurred in the days and weeks following the San Francisco home invasion appear to be linked.

In some cases, investigators believe suspects infiltrated victims’ DoorDash or Uber Eats accounts and obtained key information, including home addresses.

(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: bitcoin; california; crypto; cryptocurrencies; cryptocurrency; doordash; ethereum; gigeconomy; joshdubose; ktla; losangeles; sanfrancisco; sanjose; stealoldbottlecaps; stupidthieves; sunnyvale; ubereats; wrenchattacks

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1 posted on 04/05/2026 8:59:01 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

I hope those thieves had licenses for the hand guns or they might be in BIG trouble! /s ..Honestly if I had that type of cash I’d be invisible in a small coastal town with a modest boat to bring me to the yacht...and I would be strapped all the time. Crypto is pretty much keeping all your money in a box in the closet huh ?


2 posted on 04/05/2026 9:17:19 PM PDT by mythenjoseph (Islam is not compatible within a free society.)
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To: BenLurkin

Courtesy XKCD (original source).

3 posted on 04/05/2026 9:18:02 PM PDT by cross_bearer_02
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To: mythenjoseph

These people need to be prepared.

People use crypto to pay for things, and if it is something delivered, people know you have a cryptowallet to steal.


4 posted on 04/05/2026 9:18:59 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: BenLurkin
How do the thieves know who the wealthy California crypto holders are?

Are these wealthy California crypto holders publicly announcing their wealth on every social media platform?

5 posted on 04/05/2026 9:38:45 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
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To: yesthatjallen

Terminate with extreme prejudice.


6 posted on 04/05/2026 9:55:56 PM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
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