Official regime journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández took to Facebook to express her alarm after her home in Matanzas was burglarized. She voiced her fears, emphasizing that those who breach a home's security with residents inside are capable of anything. Her anxiety is compounded by the perception that "the Police do very little or nothing" to apprehend the criminals. "Several of us at the radio station in Matanzas have been affected," she noted.
In her Facebook post, which mentions regime spokespersons like Arleen Rodríguez and Angélica Paredes, Torres confessed her fear of "thieves" and "roaming gangs" in the province. These groups, she claims, disregard any security measures, leading to a rise in burglaries. The incidents reportedly occur between 2:30 and 4:30 in the morning. "They enter through the front door, take valuables out the main entrance, and walk down the city streets as if they own the place," she explained.
Community Safety at Risk
Torres expressed concern that if swift action isn't taken by the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), the citizens' peace of mind—one of the few remaining achievements—will be lost. Her post, shared 384 times with 198 comments and 443 reactions, reflects widespread unease. She even shared that strange smells make her anxious, suspecting that burglars might use substances to incapacitate people.
Following the burglary, Torres revealed that she no longer sleeps soundly and remains vigilant throughout the night. She recounted how intruders broke the padlock and several aluminum windows to access her home, stealing items such as a television, laptop, pressure cooker, rice cooker, tablet, chargers, watches, microphones, backpacks, shoes, and documents.
What truly terrifies her is that her son was home alone during the break-in while she was in Havana. The boy had left all the lights on, having fallen asleep with his phone in hand.
The Urgent Call for Action
"How many more violent burglaries must occur before there's a wake-up call? What are they waiting for to catch these bands that steal with impunity? Are they waiting for someone to get hurt or killed?" Torres asked, distressed.
She is also troubled by the rapid increase in crime over the past year. While acknowledging that thefts have always occurred, she noted that previously they targeted homes with valuable connections, like when her father worked at Panamerican stores. Now, her modest home and lifestyle shouldn't attract such attention.
"Why did they target my house now? I don’t know. It's the ugliest on the block. I have nothing extraordinary. With my journalist's salary, I barely make ends meet," she lamented, attributing the burglary to the criminals targeting anyone with sellable items.
Torres encouraged neighbors to stay alert, enhance home security, and collaborate for collective safety amid the worsening economic crisis, which she fears will lead to more thefts. She urged the police to increase patrols during the critical hours when these crimes occur. "We know there's a fuel shortage. Then let the officials support patrols, as they do for other matters," she suggested, hinting at political motives.
Her post drew many supportive comments, with some urging for the issue to be discussed in upcoming sessions of the National Assembly of People's Power, although others skeptically doubted such debates would resolve anything.
Crime Wave Spreads Beyond Matanzas
The spike in crime is not confined to Matanzas. Holguín is also witnessing a rise in fraud and motorbike thefts, often shortly after they are advertised for sale. This is part of a broader trend, with notable incidents such as the multiple homicide in Ceballos last August, where two mothers and their children were killed by thieves, and the triple murder in Centro Habana in October, where three people were slain in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood.