A family residing in El Cotorro, located in the southeastern outskirts of Havana, turned to Facebook to report the theft of bicycles belonging to two children, appealing to the community for assistance in retrieving them.
The Facebook post was accompanied by a photo showing the children on their bicycles, with their faces concealed by a heart emoji to protect their privacy.
This approach of using Facebook groups to report thefts has become a common strategy among Cubans attempting to reclaim stolen property.
The incident adds to a series of bicycle thefts involving minors reported in 2026. In April, a 13-year-old boy in Cárdenas, Matanzas, faced a terrifying encounter when a thief held a knife to his throat to steal his bicycle. In May, a mother from Cienfuegos reported her two-year-old son's bicycle stolen, criticizing the police for their inaction.
In July, a Cuban teacher reported her son's motorized bicycle missing, and a young man from Vedado offered a 20,000-peso reward for the return of his stolen bicycle. Most recently, on Tuesday, another Havana family reported the theft of their electric tricycle, which was their primary source of income.
Bicycles have become an essential commodity in Cuba due to the collapse of public transportation and fuel shortages, increasing their value in the informal market and making them frequent targets for thieves.
El Cotorro, with a population ranging from 74,000 to 83,000, is not immune to the security issues plaguing Havana. The Cuban Observatory of Citizen Audit (OCAC) reported 2,833 verified crimes in Cuba during 2025, marking a 115% increase from 2024 and a 337% surge from 2023, with theft being the most common crime at 1,536 cases.
Havana was one of the hardest-hit provinces, with 398 crimes recorded that year. The rising insecurity in the city even prompted the Ministry of the Interior to acknowledge a 25% increase in property crimes in February, attributing it to the "complex economic situation" while avoiding any mention of the regime's role in the crisis.
Understanding Bicycle Theft in Cuba
How common is bicycle theft in Cuba?
Bicycle theft has become increasingly common in Cuba, particularly due to the high demand for bicycles amidst a failing public transportation system and fuel shortages.
What measures are families taking to recover stolen bicycles?
Many families are resorting to social media platforms like Facebook to report thefts and seek community help in recovering their stolen bicycles.
What factors are contributing to the increase in bicycle thefts?
The rise in bicycle thefts can be attributed to the collapsing public transport system, scarcity of fuel, and the resulting increased value of bicycles in the informal market.