Thief Posing as Delivery Driver Ties Up Homeowner, Steals $11M in Crypto

A man posing as a delivery driver robbed a San Francisco homeowner of $11 million in crypto Saturday morning after pulling a gun and binding the victim with duct tape. The suspect used the delivery disguise to gain access before brandishing a weapon and restraining the homeowner, then forcing him to hand over his crypto wallet credentials along with a laptop and phone, according to a police report seen by the San Francisco Chronicle. 

The attack happened around 6:45 a.m. at a residence near 18th and Dolores streets in the Mission Dolores neighborhood, the report says. The incident marks the latest in an alarming surge of “wrench attacks,” physical assaults targeting crypto holders, with security researchers warning that such crimes are reaching new levels this year. The report gave no details on injuries or arrests, according to the SF Chronicle.

Cybercrime consultant David Sehyeon Baek told Decrypt that investigators will likely “move on all three fronts at once: devices, blockchain, and victim profiling, rather than choosing one over the others.” In the first 24–72 hours, they’ll push hard on the hardware side,” Baek explained, noting that authorities will probably attempt to track the stolen phone and laptop while securing remaining assets in exchanges before attackers can move them.