Teens Drive 600 Miles for Violent Crypto Heist, End Up in Jail on Felony Charges!

• Teens drive 600 miles for crypto heist, end up arrested.
• California teens coerced into violent home invasion targeting $66 million.
• Teens face felony charges after violent crypto heist in Scottsdale.

Two California teenagers are facing felony charges after driving over 600 miles to commit a violent home invasion in Scottsdale, Arizona. The suspects, aged 16 and 17, believed they were targeting a family holding $66 million in cryptocurrency. Dressed in FedEx-style uniforms, they arrived at the home in Scottsdale’s Sweetwater Ranch neighborhood on January 31 and forced their way inside.

Once inside, the teens allegedly restrained two adults with duct tape and demanded cryptocurrency. When one of the victims denied possessing any digital assets, the situation escalated, and the teens reportedly became more violent.

The adult son, who was in another part of the house, managed to call 911. Police arrived to find one of the suspects struggling with the male victim, while the woman screamed for help. The teens quickly fled in a blue Subaru but were caught by authorities moments later at a dead-end street. Police recovered several items from the scene, including UPS-style uniforms, zip ties, duct tape, and a 3D-printed gun, though the weapon lacked ammunition and its functionality is unclear.

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A Disturbing Trend in Crypto-Related Crimes: Teens Coerced into Violent Heists

Initially held in a juvenile detention facility, both teens are now set to be tried as adults. They face charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, and second-degree burglary. The older suspect, aged 17, faces an additional charge of unlawful flight from law enforcement. Both teens were later released on $50,000 bail with ankle monitors.

According to court documents, the younger teen revealed that the pair had only recently met and were coerced into carrying out the heist by individuals known as “Red” and “8” on the Signal app. The teens were allegedly provided with the victims’ address and $1,000 to purchase supplies for the crime. They also stole a license plate from a similar vehicle before the break-in.

In a surprising turn, one of the teens’ mothers attempted to intervene after discovering messages related to the crime on her son’s phone. She contacted the police in California, who passed along the tip to Scottsdale authorities. However, the police arrived too late to stop the violent home invasion.

This incident highlights a rising trend in crypto-related crimes, where individuals, often teenagers, are recruited by anonymous figures to carry out dangerous heists. The use of encrypted platforms like Signal to facilitate these crimes is becoming a worrying pattern, with similar cases surfacing across the country.

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