I am mainly going with the original narrative that a fundamental reason the people loot and steal is put food on the table —- they hate to have to do it, but they have no other choice when there are hungry mouths to feed. And, how assuming that premise, the actions we see don’t support it well.

I also have my personal experience noticing how a good number of people I knew thoroughly enjoyed the rush and the excitement of it. I couldn’t think of many who ever said they had no choice, had children to feed, but rather they would go on about how they hid from the cops, sold the stuff, such and such was stupid to get caught, etc.

I would like to believe everyone is kind and nice and doesn’t want to do those things, the reality I have been through doesn’t support it at all, sadly.

This was my experience as well. I've been far removed from that crowd. But yes, it was never due to dire need to feed mouths as many like to frame it. It was convenient, it was a rush, it was something to brag about -it was a quick buck. As I mentioned elsewhere, it lead on occasion to these guys ending up in the pen, then getting out and going back to the same thing. Sometimes they'd get hooked up with a real job for some time, but the side thing was always an option. Some people got out of it, some didn't. I've lost track now, so don't know, but some succumbed to addition and didn't end up well.

What's odd is you have people who are very ideological and dogmatic and refuse to believe this is the case. They don't see themselves becoming thieves just because, so therefore no one else would do such a thing.

But look, do people have to be in the mob? Is it risky to be in the mob? Do they not have any other options? Yet, people get in to the mob. It's not lucrative. They could get regular jobs, but no, they like the atmosphere --well, that was years ago before the feds pretty much put a lid on it.