Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00166
The car was stolen in January 2014.
BlockedCase description
An early Electrum user who had backed up their seed on a printed piece of paper kept it in their car's glove compartment. The car was stolen in January 2014. The seed (and the car) were not recovered. The user had no second copy of the seed and no passphrase-encrypted version.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2014 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Evidence link
Related cases involving seed phrase unavailable
146 cases involve seed phrase unavailable
572 cases involve mobile or software wallet
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This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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Framework references
Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority
Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.
Professional Scope Boundary Matrix
What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.
The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody
How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.
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