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Five young individuals, aged between 16 and 18, were arrested in the city of Sancti Spíritus for their alleged involvement in a burglary that took place at the La Vizcaína store in the early hours of December 21, as reported by the Ministry of Interior (Minint).
The incident occurred around 4:00 in the morning, and the perpetrators broke the glass of an exterior showcase located in the front of the store in order to gain entry into the commercial establishment, revealed Lieutenant Colonel Rolando Rodríguez Carmenate, head of the criminal investigation body of Minint in the province, to the station Radio Sancti Spíritus.
Once the theft report was filed by the director of the commercial entity, a multidisciplinary team from the Minint was formed, integrated with the Provincial Operational Guard, and the investigation into the case was initiated, the officer indicated.
He explained that upon arriving at the scene, investigators confirmed the breakage of the glass in the storefront window. Once inside, they noted the disarray of the existing products and verified the theft of appliances and clothing belonging to the area rented by the small and medium-sized enterprise La Vida, which operates within the store.
Rodríguez Carmenate indicated that as a result of the investigation, the use of specialized forensic techniques, and the collaboration of the community, the police managed to detain four alleged perpetrators of the robbery and a fifth person identified as the receiver of the stolen goods. The appliances and part of the clothing were recovered, he assured.
According to the official version of events, the accused admitted to having committed the theft. In the interrogations, they revealed that they used two concrete fragments found at the scene to break the glass of the showcase, and that they sold the stolen goods at dawn, obtaining large sums of money which they shared among themselves.
"Unfortunately, it must be noted that the perpetrators of this incident were aged between 16 and 18 years old, and they acted in concert as they moved from festive areas to their respective homes," stated the head of the criminal investigation agency.
The five detainees are in custody at the Provincial Criminal Investigation Unit and are being charged with the crime of burglary with force, it was specified. A request will be made to the Prosecutor's Office for the imposition of a precautionary measure of provisional imprisonment.
Rodríguez Carmenate stated that, due to the age of the defendants, there is a strict adherence to the procedural guarantees provided by law for this type of case. He added that the presence of parents or legal guardians, the participation of the Prosecutor's Office, and defense attorneys has always been encouraged throughout the process.
Crime has significantly increased in Sancti Spíritus and throughout Cuba, reflecting a climate of insecurity characterized by thefts, assaults, and violence. The rise in crime is linked to the economic crisis and the lack of effective control by the authorities, which has weakened public safety and contributed to the perception of impunity.
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