Bus robberies

a Study on crimes in public transportation in Belo Horizonte/MG

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5016/geografia.v51i1.19501

Abstract

This research aims to discuss violence in the public transportation system of Belo Horizonte, with a focus on robberies affecting both passengers and transit workers. Using a descriptive-explanatory approach, we analyze graphs and tables related to the time of day, day of the week, and months in which incidents occurred during the years 2015 and 2018. We also employ a 2018 map in which high-crime areas are grouped into clusters. The analysis is grounded in the Routine Activity Theory, which shifts the focus of criminological inquiry from the offender to the spatial and situational contexts in which crimes occur, challenging earlier emphases in the literature. The study concludes that robberies do not occur randomly in space or time, but are strongly influenced by the routes taken by public transit vehicles. Furthermore, the findings confirm the Pareto Principle, indicating that a small portion of the geographic area accounts for the majority of recorded crimes.

Author Biographies

  • Rafael Augusto Reis da Mata, Pontifíca Universidade Católica, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

    Bacharel em Geografia pela PUC-Minas e pós-graduado em Geoprocessamento e Análise Espacial na mesma instituição. Carreira desenvolvida como Geógrafo, mas também possuo trabalhos relacionados a Marketing de Conteúdo. Estagiário pela PRODABEL (PBH) no Cadastro Técnico Municipal. Trabalhei no Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) a serviço da Supervisão da Base Territorial de Minas Gerais como Agente de Pesquisa e Mapeamento. Atuei no setor de expansão da Drogaria Araujo como Analista de Geomarketing. Também lecionei no curso de Geoprocessamento EAD da PUC Virtual. Pesquisador na área de Geografia do Crime e Sistemas de Informação Geográfica.

  • Alexandre Magnum Alvez Diniz, Pontifíca Universidade Católica, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

    Possui Graduação em Publicidade e Propaganda pela PUC Minas, Mestrado em Geografia - Kansas State University (EUA), Doutorado em Geografia - Arizona State University (EUA) e Pós-Doutorado em Geografia - McGill University (Canadá). Bolsista Produtividade CNPQ, professor do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia e Diretor do Instituto de Ciências Humanas da PUC Minas.

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Published

2026-05-14

Issue

Vol. 51 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Article

License

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Geography, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil - eISSN 1983-8700 is licensed under the Creative Commons BY 4.0 License.

How to Cite

Bus robberies: a Study on crimes in public transportation in Belo Horizonte/MG. GEOGRAFIA, v. 51, n. 1, p. e-19501, 14 May2026.