José Alberto Riverón, the manager at El Jardín de los Milagros restaurant in Havana, has taken to Facebook and shared with CiberCuba a photo of the alleged thief who was caught stealing a phone at a burger joint in Nuevo Vedado. This individual has also been linked to thefts at Riverón's restaurant and a kiosk located on the bridge at 100th Street in the capital.
The man identified by several victims is a middle-aged white male who employs a consistent strategy: he approaches a local establishment as a customer, and when the staff is momentarily distracted, he takes the opportunity to steal a phone. This tactic has been documented at least twice by security cameras installed in the shops and cafes where he has struck.
"Please, keep sharing this. This individual is dedicated to this kind of activity. Several people have reached out to us, saying the same thing happened to them, and it was the same man at El Jardín de los Milagros restaurant today. Also, a young woman at a kiosk on the 100th Street bridge today. Last Wednesday, a young woman at a piñata shop on 118 and 51. Help share this so we can find this man and stop him from continuing to steal in broad daylight," Riverón wrote.
The first report of the Havana phone thief emerged on January 16th, when a café's security camera captured a man stealing a cell phone by exploiting a moment of inattention by the employee. The incident was shared on Facebook to help identify the thief.
Seizing the moment when the worker was retrieving a drink from a refrigerator, the thief reached through a window with part of his torso and arm, swiftly grabbed the phone, and pocketed it before the employee turned back. He then paid for his order and left calmly.
The entire theft took only a minute and 20 seconds, all recorded by the burger joint's security camera. Now that the thief's face is known, victims are urging the public to share the image of the culprit, hoping the authorities will take action and help them recover their phones.
Questions and Answers About the Havana Cell Phone Thefts
How was the Havana cell phone thief identified?
The thief was identified through security camera footage and shared by victims on social media, leading to multiple reports from affected individuals.
What locations have been targeted by the Havana cell phone thief?
The thief has targeted establishments like El Jardín de los Milagros restaurant, a burger joint in Nuevo Vedado, and a kiosk on the 100th Street bridge, among others.
What is being done to catch the Havana cell phone thief?
Victims are circulating the thief's image widely on social media in hopes of prompting police action and recovering stolen phones.