A group of eleven Israeli tourists was violently robbed while attending a social event on Santa Teresa de Cóbano beach in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. The robbers, numbering at least eight, were heavily armed and appeared to have police training. They arrived in two high-value vehicles and overpowered the group’s security guard, forcing the tourists to hand over their belongings, including a substantial amount of Bitcoin, worth approximately $700,000.

Details of the Heist:

The attackers, some wearing what appeared to be police uniforms, moved the tourists from one location to another during the robbery. Surveillance footage captured the incident, showing the methodical approach taken by the criminals, leading authorities to suspect that this was an insider job. It is believed that someone close to the group might have tipped off the criminals, as they seemed to have prior knowledge about the tourists’ financial activities.

Ongoing Investigation:

The Judicial Investigation Agency in Costa Rica is actively investigating the case, working to identify the perpetrators and recover the stolen assets. The nature of the crime, particularly the fact that the robbers knew about the Bitcoin holdings, has led authorities to believe that the robbery was planned with inside information.

Similar Incidents:

This incident is reminiscent of a similar crime in Kyiv, Ukraine, where four men were detained for the abduction and murder of a foreigner over nearly 3 Bitcoin. The criminals in that case followed the victim home, forced him to transfer the Bitcoin, and then murdered him, burying the body in a forest.

Rising Crypto Crimes:

These incidents highlight the increasing risks faced by crypto holders as criminals become more sophisticated in targeting individuals with large amounts of digital assets. A June report from Chainalysis revealed that crypto-related crimes are becoming more complex and resource-intensive for law enforcement to track down, underscoring the need for more staffing and technology in public sector agencies to tackle crypto crime effectively.

Local news agency Teletica and crypto.news contributed to the reporting of this story.