10 Recent Crimes That NOBODY Is Talking About

10 Recent Crimes That Nobody Is Talking About

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re uncovering recent crimes so shocking, you’ll wonder how you missed them.

John Nigh Prison Escape

United States

In January 2025, accused attempted-murderer John Matthew Nigh vanished from North Carolina’s Craven County Jail in a jailbreak straight out of a movie. Nigh, with the help of his two cellmates, slipped through a ceiling vent, crawled into a utility shaft, and escaped via the roof, leaving a stuffed mattress behind to fool guards. Authorities didn’t notice for hours, giving Nigh a crucial head start. A $7,000 reward and multi-agency manhunt followed, ending 16 days later when he was found hiding at his fiancée’s home in Pamlico County. For most of the country, though, the story barely made a blip.

Grenoble Attack

France

What felt like a scene from a war zone erupted in Grenoble’s Olympic Village in February of 2025. A man entered a packed bar at around 8:15 p.m., armed with a weapon he never fired… and lobbed a hand grenade inside. Windows exploded outward, glass rained down, and 15 people were wounded — six having sustained critical injuries. Locals were left bleeding and terrified. Authorities insisted it wasn’t terrorism, with Grenoble mayor Éric Piolle calling it a “criminal act of extraordinary violence.” The bizarre choice of weapon — and the abrupt disappearance of the perpetrator — left residents disturbed, unsettled, and bearing more questions than answers about the motive behind the attack.

Jaffar Express Hijacking

Pakistan

Militants from the Balochistan Liberation Army ambushed the Jaffar Express en route from Quetta to Peshawar on 11 March 2025. They smashed tracks with IEDs inside a tunnel to halt the train, then stormed aboard with rocket launchers and automatic weapons. Hundreds of passengers were held hostage as the attackers issued a 48-hour deadline to free political prisoners, threatening executions. The Pakistan Armed Forces subsequently launched Operation Green Bolan, deploying elite commandos who took the lives of 33 insurgents, rescued about 354 hostages, and suffered substantial casualties: over 30 dead including civilians and security personnel, with dozens more injured. Despite the dramatic nature of the hijacking, it went largely overlooked by Western media.

Prison Attacks

France

In spring 2025, a chilling wave of coordinated violence hit France’s correctional system. Between April and May, masked assailants torched at least two dozen vehicles, including those belonging to prison staff, and unleashed fire, most notably raking the gate of Toulon-La Farlède prison. The graffiti “DDPF” (“Defense of the Rights of French Prisoners”) appeared at numerous sites, linked to a Telegram group of the same name that explicitly targeted the French prison system. Initially blamed either on cartels retaliating against a harsh crackdown or anarchist agitators, investigators seized on both leads, but the anti-prison DDPF movement emerged front-and-center. Twenty-one suspects were charged in early May, but questions still linger as to the mysterious movement.

Istanbul Alcohol Poisonings

Turkey

Istanbul and Ankara were swept up in a deadly wave of methanol-tainted bootleg alcohol cases at the very outset of 2025. Within a single 72-hour span, at least 30 people died, and hospitals were flooded with hundreds more, many in critical condition. By early March, the death toll had climbed to over 160, with 230 people hospitalized and dozens fighting for their lives. Authorities launched a sweeping crackdown, seizing 102 tons of illicit methanol and ethanol, revoking 64 business licenses, and arresting over 560 suspects, charging many with intentional homicide. The Istanbul governor’s office minced no words in lambasting the alcohol producers, calling them “no different from the terrorists who kill people.”

Drents Museum Heist

Netherlands

In the pre-dawn hours of January 25, 2025, thieves blasted into the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands. The assailants smashed through with a homemade explosive device and a sledgehammer to steal a 2,500-year-old golden Helmet of Coțofenești and three Dacian gold bracelets, valued collectively at around €6 million. The artifacts, loaned from Romania, are cultural icons; their theft sparked outrage in Bucharest and demands for accountability. Police swiftly arrested multiple suspects in North Holland, uncovering DNA, glass fragments, and tool purchases that tied them to the crime. Prosecutors believe the items remain intact, not melted, and remain optimistic about their recovery. For now, the treasures of ancient Dacia remain lost to time — and to modern thieves.

Alawite Massacres

Syria

Syria’s fragile post-Assad transition unraveled when waves of sectarian violence swept through the Alawite strongholds in the coastal provinces. Armed groups aligned with both the caretaker government and remnants of the ousted regime conducted door-to-door attacks, interrogating victims by sect and targeting Alawite civilians. Countless people died, many displaced amid emergency burials and overwhelmed hospitals. A U.N. commission later flagged the attacks as likely war crimes, documenting torture, extrajudicial killings, and mass graves. Despite a fact-finding committee and promises of accountability from Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa, many still await justice, while a nation grapples with trust, division, and the urgent need to protect its people.

Decker Killings

United States

On May 30, 2025, three young sisters — Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia — disappeared after a scheduled visitation with their father, Travis Caleb Decker. Three days later, their bodies were discovered near his abandoned truck at a remote campsite, tragically confirming the worst. Decker, a former Army infantryman with survival training, vanished and remains at large, sparking concerns over his already delicate mental health. His disappearance has sparked a sprawling manhunt: National Guard helicopters, U.S. Marshals, and hundreds of tips have been deployed, including searches across rugged backcountry in Washington and Idaho. A $20,000 reward is posted for any information leading to his capture.

Killing of Sam Nordquist

United States

Sam Nordquist was discovered lifeless in upstate New York after enduring a prolonged period of abuse that essentially amounted to torture, according to authorities. Reported missing on February 9, 2025, his remains were found after a welfare check prompted a search of the Hopewell area. Five individuals were initially charged with second-degree murder; weeks later, two more were added. Prosecutors upgraded the charges to first-degree murder, citing the disturbing nature and duration of the abuse. The case sent shockwaves through LGBTQ+ communities, with advocates demanding thorough scrutiny into whether anti-trans hatred played a role. Vigils were held, and the call for justice remains loud and unrelenting.

Russia’s Art Theft & Looting

Ukraine

Since early 2022, occupying Russian forces have orchestrated a massive cultural theft, looting tens of thousands of Ukrainian heritage pieces: from ancient Scythian gold and museum archives to modern masterpieces. In Mariupol alone, over 2,000 works vanished; in Kherson, nearly 15,000 items were swiftly trucked off to Crimea under the guise of “safekeeping.” The plundering is systematic: Russian specialists directed soldiers to seize prized artifacts, many now embedded in Russian institutions or sold abroad. Experts condemn it as nothing less than cultural war, a deliberate campaign to erase Ukraine’s identity and rewrite history itself. Attempts at restitution are underway, but these wounds cut deep.

Which crime on our list shocked you the most? Are there any you think we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!