When all they probably needed was a real drug rehab program.
Edit: Just saying because almost all petty thievery is committed to get goods to trade for drugs.
Edit 2: Also, I'm not saying that this wasn't a good use of home surveillance, or to whatever parent's comment referred, although (s)he is probably wrong that they won't be back next week. I have acquaintances that having got hooked on meth, began stealing cars. Once caught, I thought she'd be put in prison or a drug rehab program. No. She basically served no time because the judge and everyone else know she was just a junky and there was no funding for rehab, and little room in prison.