> That *something* should be done is fairly clear, but just what I find much less certain.
Its pretty obvious, imo, and not hard to do. Fix what you broke.
The penalty for stealing is to pay back what you stole, to the person you stole it from (not the government), plus reasonable damages plus reasonable punitive penalties if applicable.
If you cannot pay it back, you are offered a voluntary live-on-site labor job, including a payment plan to make up for the harm you caused. Typically something like undoing the harm you caused, cleaning up streets, removing grafitti, etc.
If you refuse to pay it back, or skip out on your payment plan, or you are a chronic repeat offender, then you are declared an outlaw, and lose your human rights.
Easy, costs the taxpayers nothing, and solves the problem.