A terrifying home invasion occurred in the Peñas Altas neighborhood of Matanzas, as reported by National Television, spotlighting the Cuban police's efforts amidst rising crime rates on the island.
The broadcast revealed that four armed assailants forcibly entered a home in the early hours, although the exact date of the incident was not specified. Inside the residence were a couple, their young child, and an elderly family member.
During an interview with state media, the husband described being threatened with a knife, while his wife suffered a broken nose and hand injuries. The intruders were after money and valuables.
The wife recounted her confrontation with one of the attackers, who had barged into her room. “The man who was in the hallway between my room and my mother’s room opened my door roughly. Instinctively, I rushed at him and grabbed his hand as he came at me with a knife,” she explained, focusing more on her hand injuries than the blow to her nose.
Despite the violence, the family did not possess the dollars the thieves sought, leading the intruders to settle for whatever they could find.
“They tried to take anything of value. Once they felt in control, they started taking all our personal belongings: clothes, TV, induction stove, blender, and electric iron,” the husband stated.
His wife, her voice breaking with emotion, added, “They walked around the house, drinking soda as if it were their home, and we were the strangers.”
The televised report praised the swift action of the police in capturing the alleged thieves within hours. “Forensic services, combined with the victims' and community's help, were crucial. The stolen goods were returned in a public act,” the report noted.
The state media, focused on highlighting police accomplishments while downplaying the surge in crimes, did not mention the sentences for the suspects, though a prosecutor hinted they could face up to 30 years in prison.
This narrative fits into a broader pattern of increasing crimes that the police largely fail to resolve. However, the official press selectively reports incidents to polish the image of the National Revolutionary Police, which has a tarnished reputation among Cubans.
Recently, media coverage also highlighted the dismantling of an alleged criminal gang in the Cumanayagua municipality of Cienfuegos. This group was said to operate at night, targeting unoccupied homes to steal appliances, electronics, and money.
According to the pro-government Facebook page "Las Cosas de Fernanda," which mimics the TV program Tras la Huella, these criminals would watch residents and caretakers before committing their crimes.
Additionally, two home burglaries were reported in Holguín, where thieves took everything from furniture and appliances to eating utensils.
In a brazen act, a thief even attempted to steal a police officer’s horse near the station in the Holguin municipality of Sagua de Tánamo but failed to complete the theft.