Arrest of alleged thief operating in pediatric hospital of Santiago de Cuba

A suspected thief who was repeatedly attempting to steal from the Hospital Infantil Sur “Dr. Antonio María Béguez César”, known as La Colonia, in Santiago de Cuba, was captured this Sunday.

This time, the individual, who was apprehended inside the institution, did not manage to steal belongings, but previously, he had reportedly stolen mobile phones from relatives of patients, witnesses told independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada.

The individual identified as Dennis by neighbors resides in the nearby neighborhood of Chicharrones, Mayeta stated, who mentioned that, according to his sources, this would not be the first time he has been formally arrested by authorities.

"The incident raises alarms once again about safety in hospital facilities, especially in pediatric units where parents and family members experience moments of vulnerability while accompanying hospitalized children," said Mayeta.

"Meanwhile, the community is wondering why, if he has been arrested before, he continues to return to the streets to allegedly repeat the same offenses. The question is direct and necessary: Until when will the authorities allow repeat offenders to continue entering a children's hospital without an effective measure in place to ensure the safety of our children and their families?" the communicator questioned.

In the midst of the deep crisis that Cubans are enduring, wrongdoers no longer even respect hospital institutions.

In December, the police  to a hospital.

The incident occurred at the Fe del Valle Hospital, in the municipality of Manzanillo, Granma province, where a cylinder of oxygen — a vital resource for medical care — was stolen and later returned by agents of the Revolutionary National Police (PNR).

In July, authorities arrested a nurse from the Celia Sánchez Manduley Hospital in Manzanillo, in the Granma province, who was caught red-handed at the exit of the hospital with a shipment of stolen medications and medical supplies during her shift, according to sources linked to the Ministry of the Interior.