Former LAPD officer found guilty in crypto robbery. Former Los Angeles police officer Eric Halem has been convicted of kidnapping a 17-year-old teenager and stealing $350,000 in Bitcoin during a home invasion in 2024. According to the court, Halem and three accomplices posed as police officers, wore LAPD vests, broke into the apartment, and threatened the teenager with a gun, demanding a hard drive containing cryptocurrency. The incident is part of a growing trend of so-called “wrench ”attacks”—robberies targeting crypto investors through physical force. According to CertiK, 72 such attacks occurred in 2025, a 75% increase from the previous year. #Bitcoin, #BTC, #Cryptocurrency, #CryptoNews