Stealing from Thieves Debate

The cluster centers on debates over whether taking property or value from thieves, scammers, or bad actors constitutes actual theft, questioning moral justifications like 'thief from a thief' logic and legal definitions of stealing.

📉 Falling 0.3x Legal
5,984
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#6882
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

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Keywords

IP i.e e.g SIM theft stealing steal thief stole neighbor definition justify jail jail time

Sample Comments

thlst Dec 1, 2016 View on HN

You can't justify theft like that.

taberiand Aug 27, 2023 View on HN

It's only stealing if something of value isn't being provided in return

throwitaway222 Dec 11, 2023 View on HN

Not worse than people stealing?

IncRnd Jun 15, 2018 View on HN

Maybe because this isn't petty theft?

slikrick Oct 27, 2023 View on HN

why are you arbitrarily pretending that makes up for all other forms of theft?

jamesdwilson Mar 21, 2017 View on HN

good answer. thank you for taking me on. does it justify theft though?

brookhaven_dude Oct 31, 2019 View on HN

It's not "stealing"

rootusrootus Oct 28, 2020 View on HN

And some people consider that theft.

Natfan Jan 3, 2026 View on HN

sorry but isn't this just theft²?

pstuart Aug 10, 2023 View on HN

It's not stealing if no laws were broken! (/s)