In 1992, over 1.5 million car thefts were recorded by British police, an increase of 93 percent over 1982 figures. Most offenders were under the age of 21; 34 percent were juveniles and 74 percent were young offenders. The typical juvenile car offender is male and characterized by high truancy rates, low educational attainment, high unemployment, and residence in a neighborhood lacking recreational facilities. Many car offenders, including delinquents, are cautioned, in the hope that they will be less likely to reoffend if they are diverted away from the criminal justice system. Only 13 percent of first-time offenders who were cautioned reoffended within 2 years. The most common penalties imposed by the courts for car offenses were fines and community sentences; 13 percent of people convicted of car offenses in 1992 were imprisoned. The problem of car crime can be addressed both through traditional crime prevention (increased police patrols, citizen awareness) and social crime prevention (development of diversionary programs for youngsters). 7 tables and 8 references