Crypto thieves attacked man in home and threatened to kill pregnant wife's baby in 'horrific' robbery

Speaking to the BBC, the couple, who want to remain anonymous, described the attack as "horrific" and said they feared for their unborn baby's life.

Crimestoppers are offering a £10,000 reward for information in the attack, which was captured on home security footage and is being investigated by the police.

As crypto coins have risen in value, reports of these violent robberies linked to digital assets have emerged in the UK, France and the US.

The man, who the BBC is calling James, said three intruders forced their way into their Solihull home before launching an assault which lasted 45 minutes.

James tried to fight the men off but they hit him in the face, head and ribs with hammers.

"He's got a pillow over her face," James said. "He's literally suffocating her on the sofa. I can hear her screaming, 'I can't breathe'."

James said the attackers appeared to know he owned cryptocurrency, but had little understanding of how to access it.

"I can hear the guy on FaceTime saying: 'Show me everything on his phone. Show me what apps he's got'," he said.

When the caller identified a crypto wallet containing substantial funds, the threats escalated dramatically.

His wife, who also did not want to be named, described the attack that happened in December last year as "horrific" and said she feared James had been killed when he was unresponsive on the floor.

The woman, in her early thirties, was expecting her third child at the time and said she feared she might lose the baby due to the stress of the attack. The baby survived and was born at full term.