Measures to prevent theft of other people's property in a state of war

Abstract

The article examines the pressing issue of preventing theft of property, one of the most common criminal offenses against property, which poses a particular threat to society in conditions of martial law. Armed aggression against Ukraine, the introduction of martial law, mass population displacement, destruction of infrastructure, a decline in the material well-being of citizens, and limited resources of law enforcement agencies increase the risk of theft and at the same time complicate the implementation of preventive measures. The paper identifies and analyzes the main types of prevention of theft of other people's property, in particular, general social, special criminological, and individual prevention. Particular attention is paid to special criminological measures to prevent theft, which are aimed at neutralizing the causes and conditions for committing these criminal offenses in modern conditions. Such measures include ensuring the principle of inevitability of criminal responsibility for committed offenses, timely detection and investigation of thefts, improving the operational-investigative and preventive activities of the National Police, strengthening control over the circulation of property in wartime, and intensifying cooperation between law enforcement agencies, local authorities, and the public. Separate emphasis is placed on the importance of raising citizens' legal awareness and vigilance, and fostering a responsible attitude towards the preservation of their property, especially in conditions of evacuation, temporary abandonment of their homes, or residence in frontline regions. It is concluded that effective prevention of theft during martial law is only possible through the comprehensive application of criminal law, criminological, organizational, and social measures adapted to the realities of wartime.