The Criminal Chamber of the Provincial Popular Court of Havana has tried two Cubans for violent crimes, including robbery with violence and illegal possession of weapons. The weapons were used for intimidation during the assault. The accused robbed a man who was traveling on bus 613. The incident occurred when the man got off at a bus stop in the early morning hours. A witness called 106 to alert the police, which led to the arrival of a patrol at the scene.
"One of them put a knife to my stomach and told me to give them my chain and phone, saying nothing would happen. They threatened, ‘If you move, I’ll stab you,’” the victim recounted to the National News of Cuban Television (NTV).
Once the police arrived at the scene, they decided to halt the P6 bus route through Reparto Eléctrico and, with the help of the victim, identified and apprehended one of the assailants.
According to the NTV report, the penalties for the crimes charged could reach up to 30 years of imprisonment. However, the report did not specify the exact sentences imposed on the accused.
Increasing poverty and social exclusion in Cuba are among the factors contributing to the rise in violence and crime. Insufficient wages amid soaring inflation, drug consumption, and mass migration drive unscrupulous individuals to commit robberies to meet needs and motivations requiring large sums of money.
Rising Crime Rates in Cuba
Despite the efforts of official media, the police, and Cuban leaders, they acknowledge that crime rates in the country have surged.
In late May 2023, a Cuban woman reported the theft of her cellphone on a bus in Havana, as shared on social media. The theft occurred when she boarded the P6 bus at the University of Havana stop in Vedado, according to the victim's mother on Facebook.
A month earlier, a suspected pickpocket was discovered by passengers on the P8 route in Havana and handed over to the police, who arrested him on the street. The individual, who was not identified, resisted the officers of the National Revolutionary Police, as seen in a video posted on social media.
In February 2022, a young Cuban woman was assaulted in Havana while walking home. Two criminals approached her at gunpoint to steal her purse. “While walking home, two guys got off the bus with me and followed me all the way home. They were chatting and greeting people we passed, trying to blend in,” the victim reported on her social media.
The young woman described the alleged robbers as young and well-dressed. “One was black, slim, of average height, wearing a black cap, mask, and black shirt. The other was lighter-skinned with blonde hair, also of average height.”
“One block before home, the black one assaulted me. He threatened me with a gun and took my purse. There are numerous reports of this pair attacking in different neighborhoods, so please be careful,” warned the young woman, a resident of Aldabó, where the incident occurred.
FAQs on Crime and Safety in Cuba
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the rising crime rates and safety concerns in Cuba.
What are the main factors contributing to the rise in crime in Cuba?
Increasing poverty, social exclusion, insufficient wages, inflation, drug consumption, and mass migration are primary factors driving the rise in crime in Cuba.
How did the police respond to the robbery on bus 613?
The police were alerted by a witness's call to 106, which led to a patrol arriving at the scene. They halted the P6 bus route and, with the victim's help, identified and detained one of the robbers.