You like it or not, but the famous "Broken Windows" and bandwagon effects are in play. Crime falling in some places just because being dumb looter or thief is

You like it or not, but the famous "Broken Windows" and bandwagon effects are in play. Crime falling in some places just because being dumb looter or thief is less respectable than being "easy" credit consumption bunny. Why should you try to knock down a drunk for a smartphone, or press some fast-food stall for money while you can drive a cheap new Korean car "brought" without even first payment. But in places like Russia even this doesn't work. These miserable rednecks will never learn (being uneducated and unemployed have no access to A-class credit) and because they are the wast majority, anyone who is trying to lead modern consumption lifestyle are regarded as a peacock or even gay. And, of course, being a low-level criminal is inferior comparing to a "successful" corrupted official of any kind, driving $100k cars on the very same streets. It is very common in Russia to see people who live in a miserable soviet time panel housing blocks, but having a luxury car in a parking lot. So, street crime falls with easy credit, but this is only temporarily. Any severe economic disturbance and you will have it all back on the streets.