Masked Robbers Steal £1.5M in Crypto and Luxury Watch in Oxford Heist

Police are investigating a high-value robbery in Oxford after masked attackers forced their way into a car and stole a luxury watch and more than £1.1 million in cryptocurrency.

Key Takeaways:

• Masked robbers stole a £450,000 watch and forced a victim to transfer £1.1 million in crypto during a car ambush in Oxford.
• Police are seeking footage of three vehicles linked to the attack.
• Four men have been arrested on suspicion of robbery and kidnap, though all have been released on bail.

The incident, which took place on the afternoon of Nov. 4, involved two men and three women who were travelling from Oxford toward London when the group was ambushed, Thames Valley Police said.

Oxford Police Hunt Suspects After Victims Forced to Transfer £1.1M in Crypto

According to investigators, the robbers took the victims’ phones and a £450,000 watch before compelling one of them to transfer £1.1 million worth of crypto from their account.

The group was then abandoned in the Five Mile Drive area of Oxford as the attackers fled.

Detective Sergeant Stuart McMaster issued an appeal for witnesses, urging residents and drivers to check dashcam or CCTV footage for three vehicles believed to be linked to the crime: a black BMW saloon, a blue Hyundai Ioniq, and a silver Mercedes-Benz Vito.

Police are particularly interested in sightings around Yarnton Road and Sandy Lane between Kidlington and Yarnton, as well as in Five Mile Drive, Carey Close, Rotherfield Road and Kirk Close between 1 pm and 4 pm on the day of the robbery.

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McMaster said the force has launched an extensive investigation involving house-to-house inquiries, CCTV reviews, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) data, digital forensics and cryptocurrency tracing.

Officers have executed warrants in London and Birmingham and made multiple arrests in Kent.

Police have arrested four men in connection with the case: a 21-year-old and a 37-year-old from London, a 23-year-old from Kent, and a 19-year-old from Birmingham, all on suspicion of robbery and kidnap, with additional charges in some instances.

All four have been released on bail, with return dates set between January and February 2026.

Police are urging anyone with information or relevant footage to come forward.

Crypto-Related Physical Attacks Surge 169% in Six Months

As reported, physical attacks targeting Bitcoin and crypto holders are rising at an alarming rate, according to new data tracked by CASA co-founder Jameson Lopp.

Since late February, 35 new violent incidents have been reported globally, a 169% increase in just six and a half months.

The uptick adds to an already troubling trend, as cryptocurrency markets continue their bullish run.

In total, 48 attacks have occurred so far in 2025, marking a 33% increase over all of 2024. France alone has accounted for 14 of this year’s reported incidents.

One of the most disturbing cases took place on September 6 in Cambridge, Canada, where a young man was abducted at gunpoint and forced to transfer funds into a cryptocurrency wallet.