Three people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the theft of 28 solar panels intended for a water pumping system in the municipality of Los Arabos, in Matanzas. So far, authorities claim to have recovered 21 of the units.
The official profile Con Todos La Victoria, linked to the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), reported this Thursday that the theft took place in the San Pedro de Mayabón area, where the involved individuals allegedly forced the latch of the storage facility of UEB Pecuaria "General Gusev" to steal the panels.
According to the publication, the equipment was intended for the water pumping system of the entity.
The source identified Osmany Benítez Ortiz and Yaisander Roque Morejón as the alleged material authors of the theft, while José Gilberto Chávez was pointed out as the receiver of the stolen goods.
According to the report, 21 of the 28 stolen solar panels were found at Chávez's residence, but investigations are ongoing to locate the other seven, whose whereabouts are still unknown.
The thefts of solar panels and components from these systems have increased significantly in recent years, as the energy crisis in the country has worsened, with power outages exceeding 20 hours daily and neighborhoods experiencing blackouts for several consecutive days, which has driven up the value of this equipment on the black market.
A violent incident was reported in May in the province of Holguín, when four men assaulted and tied up the guard of a pumping station to steal 32 solar panels. The authorities managed to recover 29 units and apprehend the four alleged perpetrators.
The following month, also in Holguín, the theft of four solar panels left rural communities in the municipality of Sagua de Tánamo without television signal.
Most recently, two men were arrested after entering the Las Villegas Photovoltaic Park at night, located in the municipality of Guisa, Granma province, and stealing 20 metal beams from the support structure of the solar panels.
Matanzas has also not escaped the rise of this type of crime. Thieves broke into the Maternal Home of Santa Marta, in Cárdenas, and stole the batteries from the solar panels while five pregnant women and a nurse were inside.
Residents of Bolondrón reported a rising wave of thefts that included solar panels, EcoFlow, gas canisters, turbines, and water tanks, among other items that are difficult to replace amid the economic crisis.
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