PANews, June 21 – According to Laprovence, French police have arrested four suspects in Marseille and surrounding areas in connection with an attempted kidnapping-style robbery targeting cryptocurrency assets. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on June 13, 2026, when the suspects broke into a residence in a housing estate in Marseille’s 13th arrondissement and attempted to hold two women hostage in order to obtain cryptocurrency-related assets. A family at the scene was awakened by the noise and immediately alerted the police, after which the suspects fled, leaving behind only a vehicle license plate as a clue.

It is reported that such crypto-related kidnapping crimes are on the rise in France, with approximately 70 cases involving the kidnapping or extortion of crypto assets recorded since the start of 2026. Police indicated that these cases typically target crypto asset holders and their family members, displaying highly targeted and violent characteristics.