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Two masked men abandoned an attempted robbery at a Bonnyrigg, Scotland home after one of them noticed the property’s Ring doorbell camera and asked, on camera, “Is that a camera right in front of me?”, the failed final act of an alleged £2 million cryptocurrency raid prosecutors say was organized from inside Edinburgh’s Saughton Prison.
The court heard that the attempted crypto raid was not an isolated incident but part of a broader operation linked to Barr, who was serving a prison sentence at Saughton at the time.
Barr, 29, had arranged for an earlier robbery at the same property in January 2024, during which a cryptocurrency wallet was reportedly taken. He then allegedly attempted to organise the second operation in April.
Barr was already serving 21 months for fraud and had received an additional eight-month sentence for possessing mobile phones illegally while in prison. He is also facing extradition to the United States.
Advocate depute David Dickson KC described Barr as the central figure in the operation.
“Barr was the head of the organised crime group which carried out the offence.” — David Dickson KC, advocate depute
The prosecution said a mobile phone seized from Barr provided evidence of his alleged involvement in arranging the operation and supporting associates involved in cryptocurrency theft.
“Examination of the phone found it to contain details of Barr’s involvement in the organisation and provision of specialist support to criminal associates to conduct crypto-theft.” — David Dickson KC, advocate depute
The prosecution told the court that Barr appeared to have detailed knowledge of the potential value of the victim’s cryptocurrency holdings.
On April 8, 2024, Barr allegedly told an associate that the cryptocurrency owned by the homeowner could be worth more than £2 million. He also allegedly said the man’s own cryptocurrency token was worth about £1 million.
The homeowner was identified in court as a co-founder of a cryptocurrency startup who had invested in digital currencies since around 2014.
Messages attributed to Barr suggested that the January robbery had already targeted the property and that he intended to use technical methods during the second crypto raid to gain access to the victim’s digital assets.
In one message, Barr allegedly told an associate:
“I had his house robbed a few month ago by boys in here. They got his ledger n left loads of other things in the house.”
In another, he allegedly proposed sending the victim to a website and using remote-access software to gain control of his computer.
The court heard another message instructed associates to get the homeowner onto his computer quickly, install AnyDesk and use it to access websites containing his cryptocurrency funds.
The messages form part of the prosecution’s evidence concerning the alleged planning of the crypto raid and the methods intended to move cryptocurrency from the victim’s accounts.
Doyle, of Drum Park Avenue in Bo’ness, West Lothian, admitted involvement in serious organised crime and taking part in the attempted robbery at the Bonnyrigg property.
He had previous convictions including robbery, serious assault and possession of weapons. The court also heard that he was unemployed when the failed crypto raid took place.
Favier, 26, formerly of McIntyre Avenue in Larbert, Stirlingshire, admitted the same offence the previous week.
Barr had earlier admitted involvement in serious organised crime between January and April 2024, as well as arranging the January robbery and the failed April operation.
The prosecution described Barr as a sophisticated criminal operator capable of organising complex cryptocurrency theft.
“The accused Barr is clearly a sophisticated cybercriminal with the ability to orchestrate a level of criminality rarely seen within mainstream investigations.” — David Dickson KC, advocate depute
For Doyle, the court ultimately determined that the attempted crypto raid warranted imprisonment. The judge told him that the approach to the property would have been frightening for those inside and that a prison sentence was inevitable.
Lord Cubie said Doyle had pleaded guilty to “being involved in serious, organised crime and taking part in the attempted robbery of the premises in Bonnyrigg.”
Doyle’s bail was revoked and he was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow in November.
The case highlights how organised criminals can target cryptocurrency holders through physical intimidation as well as digital methods, with the planned crypto raid combining an attempted home invasion with efforts to gain remote access to cryptocurrency accounts.
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