[mywittyname]

Some of the tools used to steal cars are the legitimate tools used to repair cars. Key programmers aren't cheap, but at under $5k for decent ones, they aren't crazy expensive either. It pays for itself in one job.

You could make these tools more difficult to obtain, but that won't stop the crime.

Immobilizers and requiring a PIN to start the car are cheap, effective ways of preventing car theft without negatively impacting our ability to repair vehicles. It would behoove government agencies to include a list of anti-theft techniques on the window sticker and it would behoove insurance companies to be very upfront with the anti-theft features they think vehicles need.