Among primitives, theft only occurred outside the group due to the belief that personal property held the essence of the owner's identity. [1] The commandments against theft are an integral part of loving and obeying God. [2]
Stealing evolved as the great crime amid the advancement of civilization and the recognition of private property rights, intertwining with the historical view of women as property and the enforcement of marital fidelity through the evolving mores. [3]