A family from Nuevitas, located in Camagüey, managed to fully recover their stolen items after a nighttime burglary. The breakthrough came through a simple yet effective technique: they used the motorcycle's key fob to trace its sound around their home.
Anyi Karla Meléndez Ramírez shared the incident in a Facebook video that has garnered over 30,000 views. She recounted that around 1 a.m., a group of two or three intruders broke into her boyfriend's home by smashing the fence and window. "They were clearly prepared," she stated.
The burglars moved stealthily. The home is split into two separate apartments. In one, Anyi Karla and her boyfriend, along with their pets, were asleep; in the other, his mother, sister, and grandmother resided. No one heard anything.
"We're on the first floor, and there was absolutely no noise, not even the dogs barked. No one in the neighborhood saw anything, and the power was on at the time," the young woman described.
The thieves made off with a significant haul: a motorbike, a television, an EcoFlow portable power station—which can range from $549 to over $1,150—three portable fans, and a coffee maker. They left behind a pair of shoes on top of the motorbike, unaware they were of an expensive brand.
The boyfriend’s mother discovered the theft upon noticing the TV was missing. His sister, realizing the motorbike was gone too, began to scream. "Can you imagine if my boyfriend's sister had walked in on a burglar? They could have been killed," Anyi Karla expressed with concern.
At dawn, the police arrived along with friends and neighbors to offer support. A friend of Anyi Karla's boyfriend had a game-changing idea. He took the motorbike's key and roamed the neighborhood, pressing the fob repeatedly to listen for any sound.
"They eventually reached a shed in front of El Balkán (a nightclub in Nuevitas), and that's where all the stolen items were found," Anyi recounted.
The police brought in a sniffer dog, which led them to a nearby apartment, but they have yet to catch the culprits. The thieves remain at large.
Rising Crime in Camagüey
This case highlights the severe crime wave plaguing Camagüey in 2026: the local government reported over 600 offenses in the first half of the year, with 40% classified as serious crimes like aggravated theft, crimes against life, and cattle rustling.
The EcoFlow has become highly coveted by thieves in Cuba because it is widely used as a domestic solution during power outages.
Recently, residents in Camagüey caught a thief in a yard themselves due to police delays, and another daylight robbery was reported in the province on September 6.
Understanding the Crime Wave in Camagüey
What items were stolen from the family in Nuevitas?
The family lost a motorbike, a television, an EcoFlow portable power station, three portable fans, and a coffee maker.
How did the family manage to recover their belongings?
They used the sound-emitting feature of the motorbike's key to trace the stolen items to a nearby shed.
What is the significance of the EcoFlow in Cuba?
The EcoFlow is highly sought after by thieves as it is a common solution for Cuban households to manage frequent power outages.