Spatial Analysis of Motor Vehicle Theft in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Though motor vehicle theft (MVT) has been a major problem in Saudi Arabia (SA) for several decades, particularly in the capital Riyadh, few researchers have investigated this problem. Likewise, understanding the creation of the spatiotemporal patterns of MVT as a key element in tackling crime is also under- researched. This study aims to address this substantial research gap by utilising routine activity theory (RAT) and crime pattern theory (CPT). However, two issues need to be taken into consideration: that RAT and CPT will be applied outside their original context in the West and that few studies have utilised them to model MVT. As such, a contribution of this study is the evaluation of the applicability of these theories to both the Saudi context and MVT in general. The empirical work of this study using RAT and CPT was designed to meet two objectives. First, exploratory spatial analysis techniques were used to determine whether MVTs tended to show high concentrations in certain neighbourhoods and at particular times of the day. Second, regression analysis methods were implemented to identify and predict the factors that contributed to these concentrations of MVTs. The main findings suggest that, due to the substantial difference between contexts, the spatiotemporal patterns of MVT in Riyadh were somewhat different from those in the West. Due to the nature of MVT, the variables associated with RAT explained MVT well at certain times of the day but were insufficient during other periods; however, the variables associated with CPT were not able to explain MVT well at any time of the day. The final chapter of the study addresses the implications for research and police practice. A significant implication of this study is that the explanatory variables varied in their effects on MVT throughout the day and across the areas studied. This allowed for the provision of recommendations for the Saudi police, such as giving priority to tackling MVT in certain areas that experience high MVTs at particular times.