Steven Le Comber, a University of London biology professor, and a Texas criminologist named Kim Rossmo, have been testing a new scientific principle. Many criminologists have been recently employing a science called geographic profiling to determine where and when certain criminals – mainly terrorists, but it’s a science also used in epidemiology – may strike. Terrorists, other criminals, and even diseases, tend to operate within a certain radius, and scientists can use a form of historical backtracking to determine where they may strike next. We’ve all likely seen simplified versions of this displayed in our light TV crime dramas.
Check Out: The Amazing Musical Instrument Played with 2000 Marbles
The most recent model of this science, Dirichlet process mixture modelling, is being tested to find Banksy.
Banksy, the notorious street artist, has managed to keep his identity hidden for many years. His prefereed medium has always been a form of freelance vandalism, using blank public walls and other public spaces to stage his oft-political installations.
The Dirichlet process mixture modelling process has essentially created a donut shape of Banksy activity that allows Le Comber and Rossmo to track his movements. Criminals tend to stay away from their own front doors, but don’t stray too far. By profiling 140 of Banksy’s paintings and their locations – located largely by a pub in Bristol, several sporting fields, and several other addresses around London, Le Comber and Rossmo managed to find one very likely candidate who frequents those places and fits their modelling process perfectly.
The candidate’s name? Robin Gunningham. This backs up accusations made against Gunningham made in 2008. Gunningham, however, has not issued any statements as to whether or not he’s Banksy.
Top Image: Revolver Entertainment
Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and the co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. He also contributes to Legion of Leia and to Blumhouse. You can follow him on “The Twitter” at @WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.
