As we have seen from news reports, including those in The Newtown Bee over the past few years, escalating car thefts — including those perpetrated by juveniles — are happening everywhere.

In recent weeks, however, dangers posed by these thefts are not jeopardizing more than public safety as joy riding car thieves crash or crash into innocent bystanders. Some of the most brazen are literally taking aim at witnesses — or owners — who confront thieves in the act.

As recently as early August, a Cheshire resident was shot at as he reportedly approached four males he saw breaking into cars in his neighborhood. The neighbor escaped injury, but his car was damaged by at least one bullet.

A few days earlier, a Hartford man brandishing a golf club was shot by a would-be thief who got away with the vehicle, which was totaled a few days later in a fiery crash while fleeing from police — injuring the 19-, 20-, and 23-year-old occupants.

Similar incidents occurred in Chester in March, Simsbury in June, and Glastonbury in July. In that case, a female homeowner confronting thieves narrowly escaped harm as two bullets were fired through her front door.

When considering possible reasons for this car theft epidemic, we respect the input of State Representative Toni Walker (D-90) of New Haven. Walker blames the pandemic and exacerbating issues like childhood trauma, mental health, lack of adequate overall health care, economic hardship, and homelessness as some of the deep and complex factors behind this violent trend.

At the same time, former GOP gubernatorial contender Robert Stefanowski offered an op-ed received by The Bee in which he said, “It’s time to put people first and address the immediate crisis of public safety — before something even worse happens.”

We hope the people he is putting first are the victims. And how much worse does it have to get than a June incident in New Britain when Stefanowski said a teenager with 13 prior arrests reportedly struck and killed a jogger with a stolen car?

State Rep Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) are justifiably concerned and pushing for juvenile justice discussions to resume as early as a possible September special session, and have laid out several proposed reforms (See article below this editorial). Whenever that conversation resumes, it must incorporate strong bipartisan decision-making and thoughtful action — perhaps starting with those who are contributing most to the problem.

As our colleagues at CTPublic recently found in 2020 judicial records, for almost half of the 910 teens charged, it was their first auto theft arrest — while for one of every six arrested, it was at least their fifth offense.

State Representative Craig Fishbein (R-90) thinks getting first- and second-time offenders into a successful diversionary program is a good start. Addressing the most recidivist perpetrators, juvenile or adult, should help identify what is influencing so many others to commit these crimes for the first time.

As Walker and Stefanowski suggested, political leadership must learn from these cases and deliver solutions addressing the immediate challenges as well as the greater social and economic ills currently careening out of control like so many stolen vehicles speeding through our neighborhoods.