A Cuban resident in Ciego de Ávila reported on Tuesday the theft of several high-value items from her mother's home, where the thief allegedly entered during the night while three elderly adults and a 10-year-old child were sleeping.
Among the stolen items are a Samsung S23 phone, an EcoFlow power station, and a rechargeable fan—equipment that is particularly valuable in Cuba amid the prolonged blackouts affecting the population.
Arlet JM Fajardo, the author of the complaint published on Facebook, explained that the intruder reportedly forced a window secured with aluminum shutters to gain access to the property. A photo shared alongside her account shows the metal grille visibly bent.
According to Fajardo, the manner in which the robbery took place makes him suspect that the perpetrator was familiar with the house beforehand and knew exactly what they were looking for.
"He walked in and went straight to look for what he wanted," he stated.
The same suspicion arose among numerous users who reacted to the post, some of whom believed that the culprit could be someone who knew the family or had been in the house before.
Beyond the material losses, Fajardo expressed relief that none of her family members woke up while the stranger was inside the house.
"I can’t even imagine what would have happened if my mom, one of the elders, or my son had gotten up and encountered that criminal inside the house," he wrote.
The family filed a report with the police around six in the morning. However, according to the testimony of the Cuban woman, several hours later, agents from the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) still had not arrived at the property.
“At this point, the only thing left of the crime scene is the crime,” he lamented.
Fajardo contrasted the police delay in response to a robbery committed with people inside a residence with the speed he believes the authorities show when it comes to pursuing critical expressions against the Cuban regime.
"Stand on a corner and criticize the government, and you'll see how quickly they show up. That's where the gasoline, patrol cars, police, and resources are. To protect the hardworking people, the elderly, and the children from criminals, there’s never anyone around," he denounced.
Its publication elicited numerous reactions and testimonies from people who claimed to have gone through similar situations in various provinces of the country.
A commentator reported that thieves had broken into her home since Sunday night and that by noon on Tuesday, the police had still not arrived. "The police are notably absent," she stated.
From Santa Clara, another Cuban expressed a recurring feeling of vulnerability that appears in citizens' reports about thefts: "The working people have been alone for a long time, and the police couldn't care less if your hard work is stolen."
EcoFlow and other equipment, in the sights of thieves
The theft of power stations and other devices used to cope with blackouts has occurred repeatedly in various Cuban provinces over the past few months.
In early August, a family from Camagüey reported the theft of an EcoFlow Delta 2 and an electric bicycle during a nighttime break-in that occurred while people were inside the home.
A similar case occurred in July, when a grandmother suffered the theft of her power station and, according to her family's report, the police arrived three days later without conducting an investigation. The explanation they received was that the agents had "more cases like that."
In Matanzas, several thefts of energy equipment with a similar modus operandi were reported in July.
The EcoFlow stations, which can cost over 1000 dollars depending on the model, along with fans and other rechargeable devices, represent a significant investment for Cuban families. In a country faced with daily blackouts and insufficient salaries to easily replace these items, losing one of these devices can mean much more than an economic loss.
For many families, they are one of the few options available to keep a fan running, charge phones, or have electricity for a few hours when the National Electric System fails.
Insecurity and a sense of vulnerability
The case of Ciego de Ávila adds to a series of citizen complaints about thefts, assaults, and other violent incidents in Cuba.
The Cuban Observatory of Citizen Audit (OCAC) identified and verified 2,833 reports of crimes during 2025, a 115% increase from the 1,317 documented in 2024 and a 337% rise above the 649 recorded in 2023. Thefts were the predominant category, with 1,536 cases.
Meanwhile, Cubalex documented during July 2026 a total of 168 incidents of violence and insecurity, along with 37 homicides, the latter being the highest monthly figure since the organization began monitoring these data.
For Fajardo, what happened at his mother's house not only resulted in the loss of several possessions acquired through hard work, but also served as a warning about the vulnerability that many families feel in the face of crime and the lack of response from the authorities.
"And above all, do not expect the government to come and protect you or respond when you truly need it, because once again it has been demonstrated what their priorities are," he concluded.
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