Ask a grown-up: why do people steal?
One of the main reasons people take things is that it is the only way for them to get something they want. Maybe they can't afford to pay for it, or maybe they want something that is not for sale. They want it so badly, they decide it is worth the risk, and steal it. They have weighed up how much they want something against the consequences of getting caught.
But sometimes people steal things they do not really want. They might be bored, or expressing frustration. There is a condition called kleptomania that gives some people an uncontrollable desire to steal random things, even if they're not valuable – pens, toothbrushes, socks – whereas other people steal things just to experience the excitement of doing something they know is wrong. Finally, people can steal in order to hurt other people by taking away something that they value. But the vast majority of people do not steal – they know it is wrong, unfair to the owner and creates a risk that they will be caught and punished.
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