French family held as €40,000 crypto stolen
- Four suspects have remained at large after a family in northern France was restrained during a reported crypto theft.
- Investigators believe the attackers forced the father to surrender access codes linked to nearly €40,000 in cryptocurrency.
- French authorities have not identified the suspects, recovered the funds or established how the family was targeted.
A family in Vendin-le-Vieil, northern France, has been held at home after attackers demanded nearly €40,000 in cryptocurrency.
The attackers entered the home overnight and held the father, his wife and their two children for more than three hours before fleeing.
French authorities have not released a statement identifying the suspects or confirmed whether the reported cryptocurrency transfer has been traced or recovered.
Investigators believe the attackers forced the father to surrender access codes before taking cryptocurrency worth close to €40,000.
The father contacted emergency services at about 8am while the family was still restrained, prompting the attackers to flee before police arrived.
The case comes as France's National Gendarmerie has recorded 77 cryptocurrency-linked kidnappings and unlawful detentions since the start of 2026.
The investigation has not established how the suspects learned about the father's connection to cryptocurrency, while authorities continue to search for the four people involved.
