ABSTRACT
Crime linkage is the notion that offences can be linked together on the basis of the behaviour an offender exhibits during their crimes – that is, they behave in a consistent, yet distinctive, way, allowing investigators to identify series of offences committed by the same person. This chapter outlines the theoretical framework for, and the process of, crime linkage with property crime offences. Academic research testing whether linkage principles can work with property crime is summarised, along with the practical aspects of conducting crime linkage in real time on live cases. Challenges to the linkage process and potential solutions are critically discussed.
