Here in OZ,the police are fighting the car thieves with a smart trap.IMO.
The Police may have the same in the USA,I haven't read if they have.
Police rig a car with remote 1 way door release,outside opening only.
Remote controlled ignition shut off,throw the keys nearby and wait.
The thieves checks the keys and car out ,jumps in and starts the car.
Immediately the doors are locked so they cant get out, the car is
immobilised,the thieves arrested and charged with unlawful possesion
of a motor vehicle.
The thieves are crying fowl play.I think it's a marvellous idea.

We do have something similar here called 'Bait Cars'.

No keys left around but 'bait' items are left within view and once the thief breaks in, a hidden video camera starts running and the police follow, etc. Not sure why the car doesn't only go a few yards prior to the windows locking and the ignition automatically shutting off - but it's a step in the right direction.

We watched a local documentary on it just the other night - but the poor Police are still ever so discouraged, and for good reason. Guess the villians are released from jail the very next morning. Drat! (Not that we should go to this extreme but it wasn't that many generations ago when a horse thief was hung for taking a persons 'means of transportation - wonder what has happened that the bad guys aren't really considered bad anymore by our Court systems).

I love the idea.. But here in the good ole USA,it would probably be considered 'entrapment' and they'd be let go and the owner receive a $100 fine for leaving the keys.
I always remember a TV ad some years back. It was a reminder to take your car keys out of the ignition.
The slogan "DON'T LET A GOOD KID GO BAD!!" It made me laugh and I've had a few discussions on it with those that thought it correct. I was of the opinion that a good kid (my thought) wouldn't take the car. In fact a good kid might take the keys and find the owner or a cop or at least just walk away.

That would be so cool.

Boopme has really said it all when it comes to responsibility - it's within ourselves, at any age, to choose 'right' or 'wrong'.

Kids, at least to me, are people. Real people. (And parents and other adults that laugh at 'puppy love' should hang the heads in shame as surely the pain is just as real at rejected love at any age - gentle smile) Yes often shorter and younger and without life's experieces, but kids are people, who from a very early age know 'right' from 'wrong'.

And we insult the good kids by letting the beasties get away with stuff with, at most, a slap on the wrist when they risk others lives as well as their own in these chases and other acts. Kids return found keys, wallets filled with money and do all sorts of wonderful things - for the ones that don't, the majority of them will very likely grow up to be the same poops they now are, only taller and with more experience on how to 'beat the system'.

On a slight side-note ... I often wonder if our lenient laws are not, in themselves, leading to violent. An example: We live kitty-corner from a great park which was plagued by teenagers parking their cars, turning stereos on high, drinking, cursing and damaging the children's play area late at night. The local Police tried but their resources are very limited - and these same kids and their kids were right back the next night.

Haven't had a problem now for months. Why? Suddenly very late at night, after hours of loud noise and the usual smashing of the backstops, etc, we heard a lot of really angry voices. Zipped onto the balcony to see a group of very angry homeowners bashing the pooey out of the kid's vehicle - with shouts of , There'll be more of this is you guys ever come back!". The remaining 5 vehicles fled, leaving the one guy and his battered van and a crying and very drunk girlfriend. When the police sirens became audible, lo, there wasn't a single adult left in sight, they'd all magical disappeared back into the night.

Okay, what the frustrated and sleepless neighbours did may have be 'wrong' - we've had a lovely quiet and no longer vandalized park every since (and personally, I'd love to have been a bug on the wall when the boy had to explain to his mother why her Van was smacked to bits).

Agree also,If teenagers are brought up by responsible parents,they would not even think of trying to start and steal a motor vehicle,or steal anything that wasn't rightfully theirs.I am thankfull,that the good kids far outnumber the bad eggs we have in our society.
Five years ago I heard a terrible crash outside my house,late at night. I saw the rented house opposite me half demolished,the front of the roof collasped,a car buried in the house, and a figure running off in the dark.Luckily the people were away for the weekend,because 2 of the rooms were bedrooms that would normally have people sleeping in them.
Read in the local paper 2 days later,it was a 14 yr old school student on a joy ride.He appeared in the childrens court,put on a bond and got a slap on the wrist.Was not ordered to pay for any damages,so the paper said.Agree MaraM,the court system is too lenient.I believe strongly,the parents are partly to blame in this case.Why is a 14yr old out at midnight,odvious the parents,are lied to as to where he is,or they couldn't care less.
MaraM, As for the neighbours saying enough is enough, and taking matters in to their own hands,If I were to be PC,then I would say,they should not have taken matters into their own hands.But in this case I'M not going to be politically correct,and say what I really think. Good on them.