An American tourist was the victim of a theft involving elements of physical coercion in central London. The total loss exceeded $123,000 in cryptocurrencies.
According to MyLondon, the incident occurred at night and was likely premeditated. Authorities suspect the use of a psychoactive substance, and the scheme resembles an increasingly common form of “wrench attack” in Europe.
What Is Known
Jacob Irwin-Cline, a resident of Portland, Oregon, was in London for just two days during a layover on an international trip. On the night of May 9, he left The Roxy nightclub in Soho around 1:30 AM local time and ordered an Uber.
However, as later confirmed by CCTV footage, he entered a dark sedan instead of the Toyota Prius shown in the app. The driver, according to the victim, knew his name — prompting police to suspect the crime was pre-planned.
A Drugged Cigarette and Loss of Control
Irwin-Cline recounted that the driver appeared friendly and offered him a cigarette. It was later determined that the cigarette likely contained a powerful sedative that induces short-term memory loss and increased suggestibility.
“I said I didn’t smoke anymore, but he insisted. I thought, okay, if it helps to break the ice,” he said.
Under the influence of the substance, he gave up his phone passcode and allowed the attacker access to his crypto wallets. Shortly afterward, he was dropped off in an unfamiliar area.
According to police, the criminal used the Revolut app to access the victim’s crypto assets. The total loss amounted to $123,000:
- $72,000 in XRP tokens,
- around $50,000 in Bitcoin,
- several holdings in other altcoins.
Irwin-Cline stated he does not believe he was a targeted individual — in his view, the attacker was simply “in the right place at the right time” and “got lucky” that the victim happened to be wealthy.
A Rising Trend of Wrench Attack
The London incident is part of a growing number of wrench attacks — a term referring to the use of physical coercion or threats of violence to gain access to digital assets. Such cases are increasingly being reported across Europe, raising concern among crypto communities and law enforcement agencies.
According to Jameson Lopp of Casa, over 20 cases of crypto enthusiast abductions have been recorded in 2025. Following a recent attack on a Coinbase employee, the French Minister of the Interior promised to establish a dedicated emergency hotline for crypto companies. Social media users have begun canceling trips to France amid the rising threat of extortion and kidnappings.
Additionally, Bloomberg reports that crypto project leaders are increasingly hiring bodyguards and tightening their personal security measures.
Authorities are continuing the investigation. The victim stated that he has already contacted crypto exchanges and his bank to block access, but most of the funds had already been withdrawn.
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