In the early hours of Sunday, a family living in Vendin‑le‑Vieil, a commune near Lens in the Pas‑de‑Calais department, was violently assaulted at their home.
Four masked men entered the residence by forced entry around 4 a.m. They bound the parents and tied the two children, aged 8 and 12, and demanded that the father, an information‑technology professional, transfer €40,000 in cryptocurrency to them.
After the attackers fled, the family was found in shock by firefighters at about 7 a.m. and taken to a hospital for medical care. They are scheduled to undergo a forensic examination by a medical examiner.
The case, opened for organized kidnapping and extortion, is being investigated by the inter‑departmental judicial police units of Pas‑de‑Calais and Nord, as well as the French Anti‑Cybercrime Office (OFAC). Prosecutor Étienne Thieffry confirmed that the suspects remain at large.
France Victimes’ local branch has been contacted to provide support to the victims, and the police have requested assistance from the national anti‑crime network.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced in late June that measures would be taken to strengthen security for cryptocurrency operators, citing 77 recorded crypto‑related crimes in the first half of the year, a sharp increase from 2025.
At present, the four assailants are still on the run, and the investigation continues to determine their identities and whereabouts.
Article source: www.lindependant.fr | Image credit: www.lindependant.fr