A Cuban pastry chef lost her entire business in Bayamo, Granma province, in the early hours of Tuesday due to a robbery that she reported on social media: three unknown individuals broke the windows of her kitchen, entered the premises, and took all the utensils from her business, along with her purse containing cash and personal documents.
"Those rats, because they are rats, took everything from my bakery business— all the pots, my wallet with money and documents inside, and other things," the woman wrote in her Facebook post, in which she recounted that she was alone with her young daughter when the incident occurred.
The young entrepreneur, identified as Gabi Gabi, recounted that she witnessed the robbery, but her fear that the thieves could harm them prevented her from acting: "I felt it and saw everything. But I was alone with my child, and nerves took over because they were capable of doing something to us."
Her words allow us to imagine the atmosphere of terror that the woman experienced, as she prioritized protecting her daughter and preserving both of their lives over attempting to save the utensils from her business.
After the theft, the pastry chef was left without tools, without money, and without documents. "They left me with nothing to support my daughter, without a plan and completely devastated," she wrote.
He emphasized that everything he owned was the result of his own hard work: "Those who know me understand that everything I have has been earned through blood, sweat, and tears, working and fighting so that my daughter never goes without a meal."
Before posting her complaint, she acknowledged that it's not her habit to ask for help on social media, but desperation prompted her to do so: "I don’t usually make these kinds of posts, but for my daughter, I'll do whatever it takes."
In his message, he requested donations to raise enough funds to acquire at least one mixer, which he described as the minimum equipment needed to resume his activity: "I just need to gather and purchase at least one mixer, which is what will allow me to make money to get back on my feet."
He added that at this moment he has no food to give his daughter nor any money to buy it.
In the face of perceived impunity and distrust in the authorities, an increasing number of affected Cubans turn to social media to report thefts and seek solidarity from their community, as Gabi Gabi did by concluding her post: "With my heart in my hand, I sincerely ask everyone who can contribute even a small amount, no matter how insignificant it may seem, it will mean a lot to me."
The photos accompanying the post show the condition of the kitchen window from which the thieves removed the equipment, and an officer from the Ministry of the Interior (Minint) collecting fingerprints at the scene.
The case adds to a trend of alarming increase in crime in Cuba.
According to the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC), in 2025 there were 2,833 verified crimes, which is a 115% increase compared to 2024 and a 337% increase compared to 2023, with thefts being the most common crime, accounting for 1,536 cases.
The Minint recognized a 25% increase in property crimes in February 2026, according to a report by elToque.
Independent sources link this deterioration to the severe economic crisis in the country, characterized by food shortages and other essential goods, prolonged blackouts, and inflation.
Private businesses are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of security systems and a limited police response.
In December, a café in Marianao was robbed during the night while its owners were in a hospital, and in April, a private store in Matanzas experienced a similar robbery in the early hours. Both examples highlight the climate of insecurity affecting the population.
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