The displacement of police resources during football matches can result in a rise in local crime: it is crucial for police to balance the effects of a greater presence during matches and opportunistic offenders taking advantage of under protected areas

The heavy police presence at football matches in England has reduced hooliganism in the stadium – but at what cost in terms of both policing budgets and under-protected places elsewhere in the neighbourhood?Through analyses of nine of London’s football teams Olivier Marie finds that local crime increases during home games due to police displacement, and that the ‘self-incapacitation’ of some potential offenders leads to falls in crime during away games.