I'm also perplexed about this. Anyone's car could be stolen, and then used to commit any number of crimes. Maybe the woman in the article didn't report the car as stolen?
maybe, because it was her own son and she didn't want him to face more jailtime? I thought it didn't matter though, I thought the owner could choose not to prosecute, or tell them to drop the case.. or maybe that's on a state-by-state level.