Resident Presence and Burglary: A Spatiotemporal Exploration of Guardianship Patterns Using Mobile Phone Tracking Data as a Measure of Ambient Population

This study examines the routine activity theory’s capable guardianship concept using contemporary GIS data. Leveraging high-frequency geotracked mobile phone data from Advan, which provides ambient population counts for census block groups every 2 hr, the research tests the impact of residents’ presence on burglary frequency at different times of the day and week. Through a series of negative binomial regression and GS2SLS models, significant variations in deterrence provided by such capable guardianship are revealed across different times of the day, as well as between weekdays and weekends. Highlighting the novelty and utility of mobile phone tracking data, the research offers insights into the temporal dynamics of residential burglary, informing targeted crime prevention strategies, enhancing community safety, and advancing criminological theory.