When the power goes out, crime increases: warnings about a nighttime assailant in Frank País, Holguín

Residents of the Frank País municipality reported the presence of an alleged nighttime thief who takes advantage of power outages, in a context further marked by a lack of street lighting and calls for increased police surveillance.

The alert was posted this Saturday on the profile of Facebook by the state journalist Loidel Gainza, who clarified that the individual lurks in central and residential areas of the municipality and takes advantage of the lack of electricity to commit these acts.

The message advised exercising extreme caution when traveling at night, especially for women, and avoiding going out alone during the early morning hours.

The publication generated a swift reaction among residents, who linked the increased risk to the lack of street lighting.

Several comments pointed out that main streets, terminals, and public spaces remain in darkness, which, in the opinion of the residents, creates favorable conditions for crime and increases the feeling of vulnerability.

Other users called for a greater presence of the Revolutionary National Police in the designated areas and for more frequent patrols. “Where is the police?” some questioned, recalling past surveillance practices and contrasting them with the current situation in the municipality.

There were also reports of attempted assaults. A neighbor claimed that in front of his home, around two in the morning, an attempt was made to snatch a woman, who managed to avoid the incident by screaming and alerting the community.

The incident caused several residents to leave their homes, forcing the alleged assailant to flee.

In the midst of the discussion, Gainza responded to those who accused him of inciting panic, clarifying that the warning was based on an incident that happened to someone close to him.

Meanwhile, some comments reflected the normalization of self-defense and the willingness to take action independently in response to the perceived absence of the state.

The case is situated within a broader context of increasing insecurity in Cuban cities and towns, where in recent months there have been reports of thefts and muggings that have prompted residents to intervene directly and detain suspects, highlighting a lack of trust in the authorities' ability to ensure public safety.