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Tourist Mugged in Santiago de Cuba: Rising Crime Concerns

Saturday, November 2, 2024 by Alexander Flores

Tourist Mugged in Santiago de Cuba: Rising Crime Concerns
Police and people at the robbery scene - Image by © Yosmany Mayeta Labrada / Facebook

A female tourist experienced a mugging incident last Friday in Santiago de Cuba when a young man snatched her phone. Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada reported that the crime took place on Pérez Andrés Street in the Los Olmos neighborhood of the provincial capital.

The thief was quickly apprehended by a group of local youths and held by residents until the police arrived. According to a Facebook post, officers had to use force to subdue him as he resisted arrest. Sources indicate that the perpetrator lives near the Calle 4 terminal, an area that the reporter described as a "den of thieves" where pickpockets frequently target individuals traveling by buses and trucks to various municipalities in Santiago.

Growing Concerns Over Tourist Safety

Mayeta emphasized that attacks on tourists are becoming more frequent in Santiago de Cuba. Earlier in April, another foreign visitor suffered a knife attack in the city, aimed at stealing his electric scooter. The victim was swiftly taken to the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital by police patrol, arriving drenched in blood but conscious. He was accompanied by a young woman who was present during the assault. Due to the severity of his injuries, he required surgery.

A local resident recounted that the stabbing occurred right at the corner by her house, near a bakery, leaving a "puddle" of blood at the scene.

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