Man triggers smoke bomb during failed crypto robbery

A crypto trading exchange operating inside a hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia, was the target of an attempted robbery, as per a local media report.

The regional headquarters of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs press service said that a 21-year-old man detonated airsoft grenades and triggered a smoke bomb to threaten the employees and demanded that they transfer all crypto assets to his digital wallet.

Police officers and private security personnel immediately arrived at the scene of the crime and detained the robber who turned out to be an unemployed young man from the Leningrad Region. Police said they confiscated two airsoft grenades from him and took him into custody.

Authorities have opened a criminal case under Part 3 of Article 162 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which covers robbery involving violence or the threat of violence.

Police added that the question of choosing a preventive measure for the suspect is being decided, which means that prosecutors may soon request pretrial detention.

The report doesn't mention which crypto exchange came under attack. The investigation remains ongoing.

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While the crypto industry is no stranger to sophisticated online hacks costing millions of dollars, several crypto-related crimes involving physical harm have also come to light.

Last month, a Russian crypto entrepreneur and his wife were discovered dismembered and buried in a desert near Dubai.

France has also been hit by a wave of crypto-related kidnappings in recent months. David Balland, the co-founder of the popular crypto wallet maker Ledger, lost his finger in a kidnapping that rocked the country.

The daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of the crypto trading exchange Paymium, almost got kidnapped in broad daylight in Paris in May.

In August, a former crypto trader got kidnapped and held captive for two days. Though the criminals released him, the victim returned with a swollen face.

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Nov 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Crime section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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