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Abstract
Design: This conceptual paper draws on empirical evidence from a range of sources
(including official statistics) and the existing research literature, and revisits Routine Activities
Theory in order to illuminate the way that cybercrime patterns are being transformed by the
pandemic.
Purpose: Our purpose is to develop the theorisation of cybercrime in the context of the
pandemic, and to sketch out a vision of how law enforcement might respond to a
transformed landscape of online crime and offending.
Findings: The pandemic is reshaping the routine activities of societies en masse, leading to
changes in the ecology of risk and opportunity for cybercrime. There is evidence of a
significant increase in the prevalence of cybercrime as a result, yet much of this has a
paradoxically 'local' character.
Implications: We identify specific practical implications for law enforcement, namely that the
role of local police in policing cybercrime should be re-envisioned, with a democratic,
community-oriented approach at its heart.
Value: The theoretical perspective outlined is a novel and critical development of a wellestablished framework, opening up new paths to the theorisation of cybercrime and
cybercrime policing. Our suggestions for practitioners have the potential for direct impact,
both at the level of practice, and in terms of broader imaginaries and organisation of police
and policing.
