Petty auto-crime can effect anyone who parks their car, anywhere. What I would like to focus on is the relationship between these specific crimes in relation to their location. For my spatial analysis, I have chosen to focus on petty auto-crime within the City of Vancouver. Specifically, I will turn my attention on the auto-crimes that were reported within the vicinity of Skytrain stations, based on the reports from 2006 to 2011 along with the corresponding population census data for both 2006 and 2011.

How has the occurance of petty auto-crimes changed in the six years from 2006-2011? What is the relationship, if any, to auto-crimes within a set distance of Skytrain Stations? Has population change effected auto-crime in any way? These are some of the questions I hope to address with my spatial analysis.

Such knowledge could be useful not only on an individual basis, in regards to where one parks their car, it could also be useful for police and government agencies. Beyond empirical knowledge of where auto-crimes happen, maps on auto-crime can give direct implications of where, for example, police presence could be increased. Perhaps even where programs such as baitcar have been effective. Local government officials could also use this data to determine suitable neighbourhoods for crime prevention incentives. If there is a relation between auto-crime and Skytrain, this information could be used to project future crime rates in cities that do not yet but may soon have Skytrain in their neighbourhood. The planned expansion of Skytrain into Coquitlam is a perfect example of where this may be effective.

For a better understanding auto-crime and its relation to Skytrain, I reviewed the following three articles:

South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority.
SkyTrain security: analysis, clarity and action,
Burnaby, BC: Translink, 2008.
link to article

Patricia and Paul Brantingham.
Criminality of Place.
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research,
1995 vol. 3-3 pg. 5-26
link to article

Zachery Tyler Fleming.
Exploring auto theft patterns in British Columbia : a case study of "top-end" problem-oriented policing, Ch 2, pg. 37-45
Burnaby, BC: Simon Fraser University, 1994.
link to article