Motor Vehicle Theft in Negros Oriental, Philippines: Patterns across Space, Time, and Targets

Abstract

Motor vehicle theft is one of the most prevalent property crimes in the Philippines. However, the study about its nature in the country is yet to be published.  Thus, we explore its patterns across space, time, and targets specifically between January 2011 to June 2014, at Negros Oriental, the Philippines.  Based on opportunity perspective, we speculate that hot spots, hot times, and hot products of this crime exist in the province. Indeed, results reveal that this crime tends to cluster across space, time, and targets.  Most motor vehicle thefts occurred in the provincial capital – Dumaguete City – while few occurred in some other cities in the province and municipalities and were usually concentrated at dawn during weekends. Further analysis reveals similar spatiotemporal patterns in Dumaguete City.  Regarding targets, vehicles commonly stolen are motorcycle underbone models or motorcycles whose parts are highly disposable within areas in the province and nearby islands. These preliminary findings confirm our speculations that motor vehicle thefts are patterned in space, time, and targets. Above all, the findings support the idea that opportunity makes the thief, and that opportunity-reducing measures can be designed to curb this prevalent and costly problem.