In the heart of Cárdenas, Matanzas province, a tech store on Real Street was plundered for the second time in less than a year during the early hours of Saturday.
The shop, known as "Mercado Real – Services and Accessories," previously experienced a burglary in November 2025, as reported by content creator Christian Arbolaez.
This recent heist saw thieves bypassing alarms, forcing their way through metal shutters and decorative grilles to make off with nearly all the store's contents.
Security Measures Fail to Deter Thieves
Though equipped with an active alarm system, it failed to deter the intruders or effectively alert the authorities, Arbolaez explained. Alarmingly, several neighbors witnessed the burglars coming and going but were too afraid to intervene.
Those attempting to contact the police faced another hurdle: the lack of phone service due to ETECSA's routine disconnections during power outages, leaving citizens helpless during critical moments.
Delayed Police Response and Public Frustration
The burglary was discovered around 8:00 a.m., with the owners reporting it at the police station by 9:30 a.m. However, authorities did not arrive on the scene until nearly 12:30 p.m., after a second visit from the victims.
Arbolaez noted that the response at the station further fueled outrage: officers told the business owners that, as a private enterprise, securing the premises was their responsibility. They indicated that the existing security measures—bars and alarms—were inadequate.
The police also suggested that the witnesses should have personally gone to the station to report the crime instead of trying to phone in.
Community's Call for Mutual Vigilance
While the business owners do not expect to recover the stolen goods, they urge their neighbors to watch out for each other, stressing that fear should not enable criminal activities.
Arbolaez, who oversees "Cardenenses en Facebook," has chronicled various incidents in the area, including the theft of solar panels from the local Maternal Home last month.
This incident adds to a string of documented thefts in Cárdenas during 2026, including an armed robbery at an ice cream factory in April and a July 25 event where residents took matters into their own hands, apprehending a suspect amid perceived institutional neglect.
Understanding the Crime Wave in Cárdenas
What security measures were in place at the store?
The store had an active alarm system and was protected by metal shutters and decorative grilles, which were bypassed by the thieves.
How did the local community react to the robbery?
The community was largely unable to intervene during the robbery due to fear and the lack of phone service. They have been urged to support and protect one another in the future.
What reasons did the police give for their delayed response?
The police indicated that the protection of private businesses was the responsibility of the owners, and they criticized the lack of in-person reporting by witnesses.