The　broken　window　theory　is　one　of　the　typical　environmental　criminology　theories　that　have　attracted　considerable　academic　attention　internationally,　but　lacks　validation　in　the　Chinese　context.　Taking　the　central　urban　area　of　Shanghai　as　an　example,　we　use　deep　learning　approaches,　including　object　detection　and　image　regression,　to　identify　disordered　physical　objects　and　overall　perception　of　disorder　from　street　view　images.　We　then　examine　the　impact　of　physical　disorder　on　theft　crime　and　uncover　its　moderating　effect　in　the　process　by　which　3D　built　environmental　features　(i.e.,　density,　diversity,　and　design)　influence　theft　crime.　The　results　show　that,　first,　the　spatial　pattern　of　theft　crime　exhibits　a　central-　high,　peripheral-　low　distribution　with　multiple　hotspots.　The　spatial　distribution　of　multiple　disordered　physical　objects　and　the　overall　perception　of　disorder　show　both　similarities　and　differences.　Garbage　piles　and　perception　of　untidiness　show　a　decreasing　and　then　increasing　trend　from　the　center　to　the　periphery,　street　encroachment　is　high　in　the　city　center,　graffiti　and　small　advertisements　are　relatively　dispersed,　while　some　of　the　urban　villages　and　shantytowns　face　the　dilemma　of　multiple　disturbances　stacked　on　top　of　each　other.　Second,　apart　from　street　encroachment,　all　other　physical　disorder　phenomena　have　a　significant　and　positive　direct　impact　on　theft　crime.　The　most　prominent　factor　among　them　is　the　overall　perception　of　untidiness,　whose　magnitude　of　influence　is　second　only　to　walkability　among　all　independent　variables　and　covariates,　and　comparable　to　the　impact　of　the　size　of　ambient　population.　Third,　physical　disorder　plays　mediating　roles　in　enhancing,　diminishing,　and　interfering　with　the　impact　of　3D　built　environment　features　on　theft　crime.　Increasing　physical　disorder　would　enhance　the　criminogenic　effects　of　POI　density,　store　density,　street　network　density,　streetscape　diversity,　and　the　sense　of　enclosure　provided　by　fences,　weaken　the　positive　impact　of　Points　of　Interest　(POI)　diversity　on　theft,　and　reverse　the　direction　of　the　relationship　between　environmental　factors,　such　as　sky　openness　and　green　view　ratio　of　shrub,　and　theft　from　negative　to　positive.　The　study　provides　evidence　that　enhancing　the　policy　related　to　environmental　maintenance　and　routine　management　offers　a　practical　and　cost-effective　way　to　inhibit　the　occurrence　of　theft　crime.　©　2024　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.