A woman from Batabanó, Cuba, has taken to social media to report that her home was burglarized while her son slept inside.
Identified on Facebook as La Soberana Tuti, she shared that thieves broke into her house during the early hours, making off with essential devices she relied on to cope with power outages.
In a video uploaded to her profile, she recounted that the incident happened shortly after the electricity was restored at around midnight. "The power comes back at midnight, and I went downstairs to have a piece of bread. I left my son sleeping," she explained. Upon returning to the room, she discovered her home in disarray.
The burglars made off with a charging generator, lamps, electric fans, and her son's mobile phone—items the family used for lighting and cooling during the island's frequent and prolonged power cuts.
The video shows wires strewn across the floor and various electrical devices in disarray, as the woman points out the spot where the generator was plugged in before it vanished.
She also displayed the condition of the television on the stand and an open closet with clothes scattered about. "They came in looking for who knows what," she lamented.
Her greatest distress stems from the fact that her son was asleep in the house during the robbery. "My little boy was sleeping in the second room," she said, visibly shaken.
Despite the ordeal, she said she would not report the incident to the police, believing it to be futile. "Why should I bother with the police? I'm tired of calling. The number is either off or out of service," she stated.
She concluded her account with a palpable sense of despair over the situation: "They left me with nothing... nothing to give light to my children."
Her post has sparked numerous reactions on social media, with other Cubans sharing similar experiences of theft and an increasing sense of insecurity amid the economic crisis and frequent blackouts plaguing the island.
Understanding the Security Challenges in Cuba
What measures can Cubans take to protect their homes during frequent power outages?
Cubans can enhance home security by installing battery-powered alarm systems, reinforcing doors and windows, and organizing community watch programs to deter burglars, especially during power outages.
Why do some Cubans choose not to report crimes to the police?
Many Cubans feel reporting crimes to the police is ineffective due to perceived inaction or lack of resources, leading to mistrust in law enforcement's ability to address their concerns.