Jewelry Heist in Cuba: Thieves Drill Through Wall, Empty Store in Minutes

In an event reminiscent of a Hollywood action movie, a group of thieves executed a meticulously planned heist on the Leandro & Mijaíl Jewelry SRL store in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, during the early hours of October 31st.

Within mere minutes, the perpetrators drilled through a wall, disabled the alarm system, and made off with the entire inventory of jewelry, leaving behind only the echo of a business effort that vanished into the night.

Precision Heist

This was no impulsive or amateur act. The criminals operated with surgical precision: they created a hole in the building's side wall, entered through a staircase leading to the store's interior, and most alarmingly, disabled the security system without making noise or alerting anyone in the vicinity.

"They knew what they were doing," stated one of the owners in a video posted on the business's official account. Security footage shows the assailants completely covered, wearing hoods and what appeared to be improvised stockings on their hands and feet to avoid leaving traces. They also wore gloves.

"Years of hard work gone in 10 to 15 minutes," lamented the visibly shaken business owner.

The Loot and Calculated Choices

According to the owners' accounts on social media, the burglars did not steal indiscriminately; instead, they carefully selected the most economically valuable pieces, ignoring less expensive items.

This suggests that the thieves had prior knowledge of the store's inventory and internal operations.

Located at 15 Marcial Gómez Street, the jewelry store boasted an extensive catalog of fine jewelry that had been promoted through digital platforms. The owners confirmed that the stolen merchandise represented over a year's worth of investment and effort.

"We hope the clients waiting for their orders understand," they wrote in an official statement.

The impact is not only financial but also moral and contractual, as the theft compromises previously agreed-upon deliveries to customers.

Beyond material losses, the emotional toll was devastating. The jewelry partners did not hide their sadness and frustration.

"It was hard to see all our sacrifice taken away," they confessed.

Despite this, one partner expressed determination not to give up, turning to faith as a source of resilience: "God has purposes, and if He took from us, it's because He will give us more."

Community Response and Investigation

The Ciego de Ávila community reacted with outrage and solidarity. Dozens of comments on social media offered words of support, condemned the rising insecurity, and called for justice.

Users shared images of the alleged suspects, captured by cameras, and appealed to collective memory to identify them. Some even suggested that the suspects' walk or physical build might provide clues to their identity.

Currently, the Revolutionary National Police (PNR) is said to have identified two potential suspects associated with the case, according to statements from the affected business owner. However, no official details about arrests or the possible recovery of stolen goods have been released.

The owners suspect that the criminals may be individuals with an intimate knowledge of the premises, explaining their detailed understanding of the security system, strategic access points, and precise identification of high-value jewelry.

Reflecting Growing Insecurity

The case of the Leandro & Mijaíl Jewelry is not an isolated incident but a symptom of the growing vulnerability facing small private businesses in Cuba. The lack of resources to strengthen security systems, the limited police response to complex crimes, and the precarious physical infrastructure of businesses make them easy targets for increasingly organized criminal networks.

In cities like Ciego de Ávila, where private entrepreneurship has begun to gain ground in recent years, the robbery calls into question the state's ability to protect and respond to a rising criminal phenomenon.