I understand anc appreciate the subtlety that people have been bring to this conversation. However I stil think it is a question of private property. I don't think a car without a lock is a good example. If I leave my wallet on the bus and someone picks it up and doesn't return it, I believe that is still considered theft. Similarly if you leave your bike not locked up and someone walks off with it, you are being dumb, but that is also theft.
IMHO this will be shot down. I HATE to sound like the RIAA, but stealing is stealing. If I leave the my keys in my car and the door unlocked, does that mean that the person who steals my car is not guilty? The problem with notion of "reasonable" deterrence is what constitutes that? If I left my keys in the car, but locked the doors is that reasonable deterrence versus if instead I left the doors unlocked, but removed the keys? What if I left my locked car with no keys inside in a "bad" neighborhood or I own a car that is a prime target for thieves?
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I understand anc appreciate the subtlety that people have been bring to this conversation. However I stil think it is a question of private property. I don't think a car without a lock is a good example. If I leave my wallet on the bus and someone picks it up and doesn't return it, I believe that is still considered theft. Similarly if you leave your bike not locked up and someone walks off with it, you are being dumb, but that is also theft.
IMHO this will be shot down. I HATE to sound like the RIAA, but stealing is stealing. If I leave the my keys in my car and the door unlocked, does that mean that the person who steals my car is not guilty? The problem with notion of "reasonable" deterrence is what constitutes that? If I left my keys in the car, but locked the doors is that reasonable deterrence versus if instead I left the doors unlocked, but removed the keys? What if I left my locked car with no keys inside in a "bad" neighborhood or I own a car that is a prime target for thieves?