A suspected thief found himself cornered on the rooftop of a Havana building after being caught in the act of stealing from an apartment. Surrounded by law enforcement, the young man—described by witnesses as a "boy"—threatened to jump rather than face arrest and jail time.
Footage shared by influencer Alain Paparazzi Cubano captured the scene, showing police and firefighters encircling the building while onlookers watched the tense standoff. Though the video didn't capture the suspect himself, reports suggest he had retreated to the roof, threatening to leap from the seventh-floor height.
The building, a modernist structure located at the intersection of Bernaza and O'Reilly Streets, opposite the Francisco de Albear y Lara Park and the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski in Old Havana, stands over 20 meters tall, thanks to its high ceilings.
Amidst the chaos, a bystander shouted, "Surrender and jaba!" urging the young man to give himself up to the police. The term "jaba" refers to the food parcel inmates in Cuba receive from their families, suggesting the man should accept the reality of imprisonment.
The Rise of Crime in Cuba: A Growing Concern
Despite official denials, the increase in theft and crime across Cuba is undeniable. Authorities often blame social media for spreading panic, yet incidents of crime are on the rise. Frequently, thieves caught in the act are met with public disdain, often escalating to physical confrontations, all while police and officials remain passive.
In mid-September, residents of the Cerro municipality in Havana apprehended a suspected thief on Mariano Street and handed him over to the police. Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada reported that locals caught the individual red-handed and detained him until authorities arrived about an hour later.
Another incident occurred days earlier in the Indaya neighborhood of Marianao, Havana, where neighbors captured an alleged thief and held him until the police showed up. A video from the independent outlet Cubanet depicted the moment the suspect was surrounded by locals after reportedly robbing a home.
Witnesses claimed that police response was slow, allowing residents to peacefully escort the suspect to a settlement entrance. Earlier in September, in the Sevillano district of Diez de Octubre, a thief was caught stealing from multiple homes in broad daylight. Local residents took matters into their own hands, capturing and striking the thief, as evidenced by photos shared on Facebook.