Two youngsters from California are going through critical felony costs after authorities say they traveled a whole bunch of miles to hold out a violent house invasion in Scottsdale, Arizona, in a bid to acquire cryptocurrency believed to be price $66 million.

Key Takeaways:

• Two California teenagers allegedly traveled over 600 miles to hold out a violent house invasion concentrating on $66 million in cryptocurrency.
• Police arrested the suspects shortly after they fled the scene and recovered restraints and a 3D-printed firearm.
• Investigators say unknown contacts on an encrypted messaging app directed the plot and funded provides.

In response to court docket information cited by native media, the 16- and 17-year-old suspects drove greater than 600 miles from San Luis Obispo County and arrived at a residence within the Sweetwater Ranch neighborhood on the morning of Jan. 31 sporting delivery-style uniforms resembling these utilized by delivery carriers.

Investigators say they compelled entry into the house, restrained two adults with duct tape and demanded entry to digital property.

One sufferer denied holding cryptocurrency, after which the confrontation escalated into bodily assault.

Police Cease Suspects After Violent Residence Invasion Try

Police had been alerted when an grownup son elsewhere in the home known as emergency providers. Officers arriving on the property discovered a wrestle underway and one sufferer screaming.

The suspects fled in a blue Subaru however had been stopped at a useless finish shortly afterward.

Authorities recovered zip ties, duct tape, stolen license plates and a 3D-printed firearm with out ammunition. It stays unclear whether or not the weapon was practical.

Each teenagers had been initially positioned in juvenile detention however prosecutors intend to strive them as adults. Every faces eight counts together with kidnapping, aggravated assault and housebreaking, whereas the older suspect additionally faces an illegal flight cost.

They had been later launched on $50,000 bail and fitted with digital monitoring gadgets.

Investigators say the youthful suspect advised police the pair had lately met and had been directed by unknown people speaking by way of the encrypted messaging platform Sign.

The contacts, recognized solely as “Crimson” and “8,” allegedly equipped the handle and despatched $1,000 for disguises and tools bought at retail shops.

The suspect additionally claimed he had been pressured into taking part after being invited on a visit to “tie folks up” for entry to cryptocurrency.

Wrench Assaults on Crypto Holders Rise Sharply in 2025

The case displays a broader rise in so-called wrench assaults, bodily assaults geared toward forcing crypto holders at hand over personal keys.

Safety researcher Jameson Lopp’s public database lists roughly 70 such incidents in 2025, a pointy enhance from the earlier yr.

The Scottsdale assault is the primary recorded US case of 2026, although many incidents are believed to go unreported.

Safety analysts say criminals are more and more utilizing leaked private information to determine targets and recruiting younger perpetrators on-line to scale back traceability.

A latest trade breach involving buyer identification data has been cited by investigators as an element rising publicity dangers.

Authorities haven’t linked the incident to separate cryptocurrency ransom calls for reported the identical day in Tucson, about two hours away.

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