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a person who steals may have kleptomania. With this disorder, which makes up a very small portion of all shoplifting cases, a person repeatedly fails to resist impulses to steal, even though the stolen object is of little value. Individuals with kleptomania often discard the objects after stealing them and also have other personality or eating disorders.

Whatever the underlying cause, if stealing is becoming a habit with your child or teen, you may want to speak with a doctor or therapist to get to the cause of the behavior.

10 Things You Need to Know About Stealing

1. Stealing is a crime not a character flaw.
   
2. There is no such thing as "borrowing" something without the explicit permission of the owner.
   
3. Stealing inexpensive items is still stealing. You are unlikely to be put on trial for taking a pen from another person's desk but make no mistake, this is still stealing.
   
4. Just because something belongs to a member of your family or household does not automatically make it yours. You still need to ask before using things that belong to family or roommates.
   
5. Stealing demonstrates a lack of respect for the property of others and for the law in general.
   
6. People who steal are more likely to engage in other destructive behavior, including self destructive behaviors.
   
7. Shoplifting is the most common form of stealing engaged in by teens. It is not a victimless crime no matter how big or rich the company appears to be.
   
8. It is a fact that people tend to steal from those closets to them. Teens who steal from their parents often report that they do not consider their actions theft. This is a big part of the problem. Your parents do not owe you everything they have and their property is not automatically yours.
   
9. Chronic stealing, especially stealing when you know you will be caught, is often a cry for help and can be a sign of depression in teens.
   
10. Kleptomania is more than repeated stealing, it is a pathological disorder recognized by the psychiatric community with a therapeutic course of treatment. Signs of Kleptomania include; stealing without realizing you are doing it, stealing things you can easily acquire through legal means (i.e.: buying, borrowing), stealing things "because they are there", stealing for the attention of being caught and stealing without malice. If you suspect that you or somebody you know suffers from Kleptomania, get professional help. Kleptomania is rare but serious.

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