It's being stolen because as Jim said, it's a relatively easy car to steal for a recent model. It's been in the top five year/models for theft rates for the last several years as the older easier-to-steal models vanish from the roads. And the knowledge of exactly how to do it spreads farther each year from sleaze to sleaze. Some came with anti-theft devices that won't let them start without the key, but that just means if the wannabe thief can't start it ASAP he moves on -- after busting out window trim and the steering column. :( It is almost certainly being stolen for convenient transportation.

Which makes a steering-wheel bar a good thing. The less obviously easy it is to steal the less chance it will be attempted in the first place. The wheel bar is very visible, so the damage is less likely to be done in the first place. In this case, yes, it's probably the same assclams or some friends of theirs doing a repeat visit.

Jim, if you get it back in usable condition I will happily supply you with a little device that looks for all the world like an active-alarm indicator flashing on the dash. Won't stop a pro, but a pro would be out stealing more valuable cars for gain, not transpo.

I really like the live cobra idea too, but they're on the expensive side...and caught redhanded would be good too. As in "caught red-handed having used the vehicle in a mandatory-prison-time felony but with no innocents actually getting hurt."