Sorry mate, don't agree!! A thief is a thief....imo they should get him in the back of a police van and give him a good kicking. Bit of down to earth street justice is what this country needs. No doubt he got away with a telling off and a rather sought after ASBO or some nonsense like that.
Well actually they found out that their information on the system was incorrect, the car did belong to the kid, and that at the petrol station survellance you actually see the kid giving full information about himself where he states that he told the guy he will get money and go back to pay. The information he gave was correct to. But the police didnt apologise and the guy at the station said he called the police just to update on the siituation should the kid not turn out to be who he is.
I also know when I was asked for a producer, routine check, the police guy told me that he would compound by car as according to his records I had no insurance and no license to drive, later this was blown over as they had the wrong information. He was really rude to me and I never got an apology..
But dispite all of this I also know of police who have pulled me over and have been very fair and polite to.
just depends who you get, but god help any police who lay their fingers on me without any reason than just to push their weight around