A woman identified as Yadira Paz González reported on Friday that she was a victim of a violent theft of a 14-karat gold chain in the hallway of her own home, located in Reparto Mariana de la Torre, Santiago de Cuba.
According to the statement that the victim sent directly to the independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, the assailant ripped the chain from her neck with such force that it left visible red marks on her neck and back, documented in photographs.
The victim also claims that the man was carrying a knife while fleeing after the robbery.
Far from remaining paralyzed, Yadira took off in pursuit of the assailant and, with the help of another person, managed to catch up to him and recover the chain, which broke during the struggle.
A capture from a nearby security camera shows a person running, although that image alone does not allow for verification of all the details of the account or the identity of the individual.
What sets this case apart from typical street robberies is the setting: it did not occur in a public street or a deserted area, but inside the victim's home. "It's no longer just about the fear of walking down a dark or lonely street. A person reports that insecurity has literally reached their house," stated Mayeta Labrada when sharing the complaint.
The incident occurs amid a sustained escalation of crime in the eastern city. Just three days prior, residents of the Trocha and Gasómetro areas reported repeated nighttime assaults in Santiago de Cuba, and in mid-August, a night of chaos in Vista Hermosa was reported, featuring thefts and police pursuits.
In June, residents of the Sueño neighborhood detained a 15-year-old teenager who had snatched two chains and unapologetically stated: “I’m a minor, nothing is going to happen to me”.
The perceived police inaction worsens the situation. In April, a family in Santiago de Cuba waited for more than ten hours without a response after suffering a robbery in their apartment, which has driven neighbors to frequently resort to vigilante justice.
The figures support the public perception. The Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC) recorded 2,833 verified crimes in Cuba during 2025, a 115% increase compared to 2024, with thefts being the most common crime at 1,536 cases. Santiago de Cuba emerged as the fourth most affected province, with 323 verified crimes that year.
In February 2026, the Ministry of the Interior itself acknowledged a 25% increase in property crimes, attributed to the "complex economic situation," in a statement that deflects the regime's responsibility for the deterioration of public order.
"How far will violence have to go for a person to feel safe even within their own home?" asked Mayeta Labrada as she concluded her report on the case of Yadira Paz González.
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