A man was captured this Saturday in Camagüey after being caught in the act of allegedly stealing solar panels as he moved from rooftop to rooftop, according to images and videos shared on social media.
The photos shared on Facebook show the suspect, a slender man with short grayish hair, wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and worn denim shorts, being restrained by neighbors on the floor, apparently in poor physical condition.
Along with those images, security camera recordings also circulated that, according to the publication, would have captured him in the early morning manipulating objects in an outdoor area.
The publication that revealed the case stated that the detainee "was beaten to the point of wetting himself," referring to the assault he allegedly suffered before the authorities arrived.
Among the comments, a citizen stated that a solar panel was also stolen the night before on Segunda Street in the Agramonte neighborhood, indicating that the alleged thief may have acted in different areas of the city.
"With the sacrifices made by family members abroad so that their loved ones can have a better life," lamented the person who reported the incident.
Reactions on social media reflected the fatigue of many Cubans in the face of insecurity. "They caught one, but thousands are still robbing," wrote one user, while another stated that the arrested individual "must have accomplices because that can't be done even with a zinc sheet."
There were also many calls for harsher punishments for those who commit such crimes. "They need to be given some years so they learn not to live off the sacrifices of others," another person remarked.
Distrust in the functioning of the judicial system was also evident. "Outside, thieves have their hands cut off; here, those who steal and kill are back on the street doing the same within three days," commented an internet user.
Another claimed "laws that protect citizens' property, not criminals."
The case adds to the wave of solar panel thefts recorded in Cuba during 2025 and 2026, in a context marked by prolonged blackouts that have increased the value of these devices in the informal market.
The phenomenon has affected both private homes and strategic facilities, including water pumping stations, telecommunications nodes, and maternal homes.
This episode is part of a wave of solar panel thefts that is sweeping across Cuba during 2025 and 2026, driven by the energy crisis that causes blackouts of more than 20 continuous hours in almost all provinces, leading to a surge in the value of these equipment on the black market.
The phenomenon has impacted both private homes and critical infrastructure such as pumping stations, telecommunications nodes, and maternal homes.
This Saturday, in Cárdenas, neighbors captured and restrained another suspected thief while the authorities had not yet arrived at the scene.
In June, the theft of panels at a telecommunications site in Holguín left four popular councils of the Turquino Plan without television signal.
In Guantánamo, thieves attempted to steal a solar panel from a fourth floor at 3:05 am; the police never showed up despite being called.
According to the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC), in 2025, 2,833 verified crimes were recorded on the island, an increase of 115% compared to 2024 and 337% compared to 2023, with an average of seven to eight crimes daily.
Although the regime classified the theft of panels as sabotage under Ruling 475 of the Supreme People's Court, with penalties of up to 30 years or life imprisonment, the thefts continue unabated.
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