Suspected Phone Thief Apprehended by Locals in Santiago de Cuba

A young man, accused by witnesses of stealing a cell phone from an elderly person in a bustling area of Santiago de Cuba, was apprehended by local residents this Wednesday, although he was not handed over to the police.

The incident took place on Calle 8 near the iconic Avenida Trocha, in the Mariana de la Torre neighborhood of the eastern city, according to a source who spoke to journalist Yosmany Mayeta.

"He snatched a phone from an elderly person on Calle 8," reported the informant. In the video shared by Mayeta on his Facebook profile, the alleged thief—barely a teenager, judging by the footage—is seen being escorted by a man who holds him firmly by the arm, while another young man confronts the suspected thief, who appears to deny the accusations.

However, according to Mayeta, the "criminal" was released after returning the phone and "didn't even make it into police custody."

When asked why the suspect was released instead of being handed over to the authorities, the source replied, "Why bother? They arrest him for a few hours, and then you see him back on the streets stealing again," highlighting a common practice by the Cuban police that underscores the institution's negligence and inefficiency in maintaining public order and safety.

"We have published several incidents like this on our page. Even though the police may not act properly, the right thing to do is call them and hand over the suspect, along with a formal complaint," Mayeta argued.

The reporter requested information from his followers about the perpetrator and the victim to further clarify the event. In the comments, people expressed their outrage over the increasing wave of criminal activities in the city, the proliferation of young thieves who steal and profit from others' possessions, and the ineffectiveness of the police in combating crime.

Such incidents are not unique to Santiago de Cuba, as social media is rife with reports of cell phone thefts and other crimes occurring on the streets, in public transportation, and inside homes across the country. Recently, citizen actions have thwarted or exposed phone thefts in Havana, Las Tunas, and other provinces, due to the authorities' lack of decisive intervention.

Nevertheless, a recent episode of the television program Mesa Redonda focused on "combatting crime" and attempted to paint a different picture of the situation in the country. The program highlighted the arrest and prosecution of a man who attempted to steal a cell phone on a bus in the Cuban capital. Upon being discovered, the individual brandished a knife to try to escape but was detained. He was later charged with robbery with violence and illegal possession of weapons, and the prosecution requested a combined sentence of 10 years in prison, in addition to a fine of over 8,000 pesos for the damages caused to the phone.