They’re trying to solve a string of crimes that HAVE been committed, and are STILL being committed. Yes, part of that involves figuring out where the thieves will strike next. Solving a string of crimes by figuring out where the thieves will strike next is pretty common in mystery/crime-fighter type stories. Back in the ’50s and ’60s, Bat(like)man solved countless crimes by working out that the criminal was using the crimes to spell out his own name, and figuring out where he’d strike next.