Prosecutors in France reported on the 20th that a group of masked intruders broke into a local residence and forced the victims to transfer cryptocurrency valued at 40,000 euros. This marks the latest in a series of cryptocurrency-related robberies that have been increasing across France in recent years.

French authorities cited prosecutor Etienne Thieffry as saying the incident occurred in the village of Vieux-Wanding, located on the outskirts of Lens in northern France. The targeted household consisted of a couple and their two children, aged 8 and 12, with the husband working in the technology sector. Four masked assailants entered the home during the night, held the family hostage, and coerced them into transferring the digital assets before fleeing the scene.

The family, deeply traumatized by the ordeal, has since received medical care. Thieffry noted that police are currently pursuing the four suspects involved in the robbery. Over the past few years, France has witnessed a notable uptick in such cryptocurrency-targeted crimes, with reports surging dramatically—between January and June of this year alone, authorities recorded 77 cases, marking a significant year-on-year increase.