Reward Offered for Return of Stolen Ice Cream Machine in Guantánamo

A young man from Guantánamo is offering a reward of 100,000 Cuban pesos for any information leading to the recovery of a stolen ice cream machine, known locally as a “coppelita.” The announcement was made on social media this Friday by user Enyer Produce.

The ice cream machine was taken early Friday morning from in front of the Guantánamo meat company. The owner is reaching out to the public for assistance in locating it. He reported that the theft involved multiple individuals, given the machine's weight. Clearly distressed, he recorded a video circulating online, urging the public to help in the search for the coppelita and asking for the case to be widely shared to draw the attention of the authorities.

According to the owner, the machine represented a family effort meant to support his cousin, a medical student, and his cousin's wife, who is a teacher. "It’s heartbreaking what’s happening here in Guantánamo, where some people refuse to work and instead steal for easy money," he stated in the video.

The incident has sparked outrage in the community, which has been plagued by a series of thefts leaving many residents financially devastated. Social media users are calling for the video to be shared widely to increase chances of identifying the culprits and recovering the machine.

As of now, there has been no word on police involvement, but the situation has heightened public concern over rising insecurity in the area. Offering rewards for stolen items has become common in Guantánamo due to an uptick in thefts, especially at night.

Residents express anxiety over poor street lighting and infrequent police patrols, which they believe facilitate these crimes. Due to a lack of confidence in the authorities, social media has become a crucial tool for residents to report thefts and alert the community about criminals. People are using these platforms to share security camera footage of thefts and seek help in identifying the perpetrators.