Abstract: An anti-theft steering shaft lock having a lost motion connection between the steering shaft and a stationary lock keeper on the steering column to dissipate restoring torque on the steering shaft after the driver locks the steering shaft so that subsequent withdrawal of a lock bolt from the lock keeper is not impeded. The lost motion connection includes a lost motion sleeve slidably and rotatably supported on the steering shaft and carrying the lock bolt thereon, a drive pin on the steering shaft received in a V-shaped notch in an end of the lost motion sleeve, a relatively low rate spring biasing the lost motion sleeve against the pin, and a relatively high rate spring which is engaged by the lost motion sleeve after a predetermined angular interval of relative rotation between the steering shaft and the lost motion sleeve to effectively prevent further relative rotation and thereby render the shaft unsteerable.