On Saturday, Cuban musician Iván Leyva expressed his frustration over yet another attempted theft of air conditioning cables at his Havana apartment building, criticizing the police for their lack of response to emergency calls.
In a Facebook post, Leyva detailed how thieves once again attempted to steal cables from the building’s climate control units.
"In the dead of night, they tried to steal our air conditioning cables again. And the police? They don't even bother to answer the call," he lamented.
He cautioned that the absence of a police response might drive residents to take matters into their own hands, warning that this could lead to a tragic outcome for the thieves.
"It's painfully clear that we must find ways to protect ourselves in light of this inaction. Naturally, this could result in dire consequences, but if there's no other option, defending ourselves might tragically end with the thieves' lives," he explained.
To emphasize his point, Leyva referenced "Fuenteovejuna," the classic play by Spanish poet and playwright Lope de Vega (1562-1635), where a village collectively takes responsibility for the murder of a tyrant.
"When the authorities ask who did it, the answer is already known: Fuenteovejuna, sir. And who is Fuenteovejuna? The whole town, acting as one," Leyva added.
This marks the second public complaint from the musician regarding security issues in his building within a span of 48 hours. On Thursday, he described another cable theft attempt, criticizing that the police patrol never showed up despite providing an exact address.
"I gave the exact address to the operator (who I practically had to force a response from), and of course, the patrol never arrived," he wrote at the time.
In that post, he also questioned the Cuban police's priorities and their quick response when dealing with independent journalists and government dissidents.
"Resources and rapid responses are readily available to monitor independent journalists and government opponents. That's where time and effort are spent," he asserted.
His complaints resonated with others who shared similar experiences. One user recounted an attempted theft of electric meters at their building, resolving the issue themselves by purchasing screws and tightening cables after fruitless calls to the police and the Electric Company.
Another commented on thieves stealing gas pipes from a neighbor two blocks away, causing an explosion that cut off supply to half the block. A follower mentioned witnessing farmers detaining alleged thieves until the police arrived, suggesting that neighbors should organize similar actions.
On Thursday, there was also a report of eight zinc sheets being stolen from the roof of the Viaducto bus stop in Matanzas, with no police or Transport sector representatives responding. In April, Havana residents reported thefts of entire building breakers during blackouts.
Due to the delays or absence of authorities, incidents of citizens capturing and holding alleged criminals have been recorded in Camagüey, Santiago de Cuba, Manzanillo, and Guantánamo. In one instance in Manzanillo, after detaining a thief and calling the police, residents were told, "there's nothing we can do."
According to the Observatorio Cubano de Auditoría Ciudadana (OCAC), crime in Cuba surged to unprecedented levels in 2025, with 2,833 verified crimes island-wide, marking a 115% increase from 2024 and a 337% increase compared to 2023. Theft was the most reported crime, with 1,536 cases.
Understanding Crime and Security Challenges in Cuba
What prompted Iván Leyva's complaint?
Iván Leyva complained after repeated attempts to steal air conditioning cables from his building, highlighting the police's failure to respond to emergency calls.
How have residents been responding to the lack of police action?
Residents have been considering taking justice into their own hands, potentially leading to dangerous confrontations with thieves.
What does the data from the Observatorio Cubano de Auditoría Ciudadana (OCAC) indicate about crime rates?
The OCAC reported a significant rise in crime in Cuba, with a 115% increase from 2024 to 2025, and theft being the most common crime.