Risk Terrain Modeling and Spatial Analysis of Vehicle Burglaries Near Professional Sporting Events in Dallas

• In Event: Communities and Place: Super Controllers, Risk Terrain Models, and Crime

Abstract

Dallas, Texas serves as a major hub for professional sporting events. Using Routine Activity Theory and Risky Place Theory, this study examines the relationship between sporting events and theft from motor vehicles in Central Dallas from 2022 to 2024. This study utilizes Risk Terrain Modeling and spatial analysis to evaluate whether game days for the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars influence theft from motor vehicle patterns compared to non-game days. Findings suggest that thefts from motor vehicles are more concentrated on game days, specifically on days the Dallas Stars play, near sports stadiums, transportation hubs, and bars. The Dallas Mavericks game days also experience an elevated risk of theft from motor vehicles; however, these spatial patterns differ and are more dispersed. In conclusion, this study provides a better understanding of how large gatherings and shifts in ambient population influence crime patterns near professional sporting events.

Authors

• Shea Andrew Robinson, Tarleton State University

• Olga Semukhina, Tarleton State University