The hooded and masked figure seen on doorbell video footage didn\u2019t seem particularly out of place against the backdrop of a neighborhood regularly trafficked by porch pirates sneaking packages.<\/p>\n
But on a recent Saturday evening in Mission Dolores, the person caught on camera was there for something far more valuable than groceries or gifts: digital assets.<\/p>\n
The suspect, who wore dark-colored clothing, a light-colored hood, and a mask, addressed the resident of a Dorland Street home by name shortly before 5:10 p.m., then entered, tied up the resident, and demanded access to his financial accounts. The robber took the victim\u2019s laptop and cellphone \u2014 the digital keys to his cryptocurrency holdings and online accounts \u2014 before fleeing.<\/p>\n
In a statement Monday, the San Francisco Police Department said the victim \u2014\u00a0who has declined to speak publicly, citing safety concerns \u2014\u00a0sustained non-life-threatening injuries and suffered financial losses. No arrests have been made, and the case remains under investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are concerns about my safety, and the people that did this are still on the loose,\u201d the victim told The Standard. \u201cI\u2019ve decided to stay as private as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
The robbery underscores a vulnerability of cryptocurrency holders: the physical safety risks that accompany digital wealth. Most crypto theft plays out online, through malware, phishing schemes and investment scams. But cybersecurity experts say crypto\u2019s rising popularity means virtual threats are becoming physical, with a growing number of cases involving in-person intimidation or violence to gain access to digital assets.<\/p>\n
David Wagner, a computer security expert at UC Berkeley, said that unlike bank accounts that have controls to protect customers, crypto has few safeguards.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thieves are figuring that out,\u201d Wagner said. \u201cOwning crypto is a little bit like storing all your money in cash under your mattress. It\u2019s open for theft. And there\u2019s the additional risk of someone on the other side of the world stealing your money.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Venture capitalist and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, a friend of the victim, shared doorbell footage Monday on social media and appealed for public assistance. \u201cThere was a daylight home invasion robbery at gunpoint in Mission Dolores this weekend,\u201d Tan wrote in a post he later deleted. \u201cIt happened to a friend and member of our community and we have to find the perpetrator. Time is of the essence. This is a public call for info to apprehend the suspect\/group.\u201d<\/p>\n
Police are seeking video footage taken Saturday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Dorland between Dolores and Guerrero streets. Anyone with information can call a 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or text TIP411 beginning with \u201cSFPD.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, crypto investors or their families have been targeted in physical attacks more than 60 times, according to a tally (opens in new tab)<\/a> of public reports. France has emerged as a hotbed for brazen, copycat attacks (opens in new tab)<\/a> on family members of crypto entrepreneurs and influencers. In two instances, kidnappers cut off a victim\u2019s finger to extract millions of euros in ransom. Most physical attacks do not take place in the U.S., but last November, prosecutors charged two men with abducting and torturing (opens in new tab)<\/a> a crypto trader inside a 17-room Manhattan townhouse.<\/p>\n Bay Area crypto investors and founders who requested anonymity due to security concerns said they are becoming increasingly vigilant about personal safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n Measures include paying data-removal services to scrub personal details from the internet, keeping a few thousand dollars in cash at home to placate potential intruders, and hiring private security when traveling to crypto conferences abroad. Most said they have moved their holdings to third-party custody services \u2014 tools that function much like a bank, holding crypto on the customer\u2019s behalf rather than leaving it stored on personal devices.\u00a0<\/p>\n