Traffic police in Irkutsk have apprehended serial thieves of cryptocurrency mining equipment, according to the local Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The latest report of stolen ASIC miners was filed on December 25, 2023, by the owner of a tire repair shop where the devices were stored. During the investigation, law enforcement identified the suspects as previously convicted residents of Irkutsk, aged 35 and 37.
In early February, traffic officers spotted the suspects’ vehicle on a highway. When the accomplices ignored orders to stop, a chase ensued. They were apprehended on the Baikal Ring when the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to skid.
Inside the car, four stolen cryptocurrency mining devices were found.
The perpetrators claimed they committed the crimes for financial gain. Police have linked them to four incidents of mining equipment theft in Irkutsk and the surrounding region, with damages exceeding 1 million rubles.
Criminal cases have been opened, and an investigation is underway.
Earlier, ForkLog reported that a Mongolian citizen attempted to illegally export miners from Russia.