A man is being sought in Artemisa for assaulting a 25-year-old motorbike owner, stealing the vehicle, and then running him over, causing severe injuries that required hospitalization, according to the victim's family. The incident occurred last Sunday at around 11 a.m. in San Cristóbal, Artemisa. The alleged attacker and thief, identified as Mikelish Salgado from Candelaria in the same province, was named in social media posts by Julio César Blanco González, the victim's uncle.
Blanco shared the details of the event in multiple Facebook posts, stressing that Salgado is still on the run somewhere in the area after fleeing on the stolen motorbike. “This is the story of a young man who, to feed his children, would always go out with a smile to offer rides on his motorbike. This murderous thief ended that smile by attacking him at 11 a.m., stealing the bike, and then running him over with it,” Blanco stated on Sunday. “The young man is now in critical condition and has been transferred to Havana. The assailant's name is Mikeli Salgado. This happened in San Cristóbal, Artemisa; if you see him, call the police, he is on the run.”
Family Seeks Public's Help
In further social media posts, Blanco emphasized that his nephew “earned a living with his motorbike to feed his little ones, one a few months old and the other three years old.” He also noted that his nephew’s attacker “beat him and then ran him over with the vehicle.” Blanco called for assistance in locating the criminal, whom he believes is hiding in Candelaria.
“If you know anything, please help. Do not be an accomplice by hiding this thief. Call the police if you have any information. He is free, and the next victim could be your family member,” Blanco urged. He revealed a potential lead: “If you know who his current partner is, she was with him when they ran over my nephew on the stolen motorbike.”
Community Alerts
One woman claimed in a post that Salgado has a criminal record and poses a threat: “Cubans, this man can attack anyone's family or friends. He is an ex-convict. Please, if you see him, inform the authorities immediately. He has no scruples. He attacked a young man to steal his motorbike and then ran him over with it. The young man is now hospitalized in Havana, fighting for his life.”
“Do not assist him in any way. Report him to the police promptly if you see him. Thank you. Justice, justice, justice. People like him should face the full weight of the law,” she emphasized.
Another woman claimed to have seen the assailant walking with the motorbike in the Las Mangas area on the same Sunday.
Rising Crime in Cuba
Cuba is experiencing an unprecedented crime wave, with a growing number of thefts, assaults, and violent crimes being reported daily on social media. In Holguín, two cases of home burglaries were reported this month, with the thieves taking everything they could find, even the cutlery.
In Peñas Altas, Matanzas, four individuals violently broke into a home where a couple, their young child, and an elderly person lived. The criminals threatened the man with a knife and struck the woman in the face, injuring her hand. According to the victims, the intruders were searching for dollars and, when they found none, took the family's equipment and personal belongings.