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

Police are currently investigating a significant robbery in Oxford, where masked individuals infiltrated a vehicle, stealing a luxury watch and over £1.1 million in cryptocurrency.

Key Takeaways:

Masked assailants stole a £450,000 watch and forced a victim to transfer £1.1 million in crypto during a car ambush in Oxford.
Authorities are searching for footage related to three vehicles involved in the incident.
Four suspects have been detained on charges of robbery and kidnap, although all have been granted bail.

On November 4, during the afternoon, a group consisting of two men and three women traveling from Oxford to London was ambushed, according to Thames Valley Police.

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

Oxford Police Seek Help in Identifying Suspects Involved in Crypto Theft

Investigators report that the robbers took the victims' phones along with the £450,000 watch, then coerced one individual to transfer £1.1 million in cryptocurrencies from their account.

After the attack, the group was left in the Five Mile Drive area of Oxford, while the assailants escaped.

Detective Sergeant Stuart McMaster has appealed for witnesses to come forward, urging local residents and drivers to review any dashcam or CCTV footage for three cars thought to be connected to the robbery: a black BMW sedan, a blue Hyundai Ioniq, and a silver Mercedes-Benz Vito.

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

McMaster stated that the police have initiated a thorough investigation involving neighborhood inquiries, CCTV analysis, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) data, digital evidence, and cryptocurrency tracking.

Officers have carried out searches in London and Birmingham and made several arrests in Kent.

Four men have been arrested in connection with the robbery: a 21-year-old and a 37-year-old from London, a 23-year-old from Kent, and a 19-year-old from Birmingham. They face charges of robbery and kidnap, with additional allegations in some cases.

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

Authorities are urging anyone with information or relevant footage to come forward to aid in the investigation.

Surge in Physical Attacks Linked to Cryptocurrency Reach 169%

According to new data reported by CASA co-founder Jameson Lopp, there has been a startling rise in physical attacks targeting Bitcoin and cryptocurrency holders. Since late February, 35 violent incidents have been documented globally, representing a 169% increase in just over six months.

This surge is concerning, particularly as cryptocurrency markets continue to show positive trends. Thus far, 48 attacks have taken place in 2025, marking a 33% increase compared to all incidents reported in 2024. Notably, France has recorded 14 of this year's incidents.

One alarming example occurred on September 6 in Cambridge, Canada, where a young man was abducted at gunpoint and forcefully made to transfer funds into a cryptocurrency wallet.