On challenges of investigative counteraction to thefts, robbery and robbery attacks committed in public places of major cities

Introduction: the article researches issues of investigative counteraction to thefts and robberies committed in public places of large cities. Statistical data on crimes committed in public places in 2016 - 2018 on the territory of St. Petersburg is presented. Materials and Methods: the research is based on a dialectical, formal logical and statistical approaches. The research lays on the analysis of the data of crime in Russia in general and in St. Petersburg in particular. Methodological tools of the research are statistical data of the Main Information and Analytical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia from 2016 to 2018 and materials of survey of employees of criminal investigation in St. Petersburg. Results: the article deals with the challenges arising from the divisions of criminal investigation when organizing the investigative counteraction to mercenary-violent crimes committed in public places of large cities. Discussion and Conclusion: one of the directions for the further development of the “tourist police” is proposed with the aim of organizing an operational search for crimes committed in public places in large cities.