Is stealing bitcoins illegal?

[fsb4000]

Theft of any tangible property is illegal. Period.

Yes.

If the state does not recognize that Bitcoin is the property, then???
I'm pretty sure that if your Bitcoins are stolen in China, the Chinese authorities will not seek criminal. So it isn't illegal...

Or I invented an even better example:
Drugs are illegal almost everywhere. So if someone steal your drugs, it isn't illegal. Because it will be not punishable by law. Because no one go to the police with a statement: "My drugs are stolen"  

[merockstar]

Is the rare mmo sword being stolen or ninja'd?

If the sword is being ninja'd then the games loot mechanics might come into question, and whether or not it's a guild and there was a pre-existing agreement. Or if it was a disagreement in a PUG.

As a former wow player, I'm not sure how one would outright steal the loot.

Maybe in Everquest though?

[shorena]

Is the rare mmo sword being stolen or ninja'd?

If the sword is being ninja'd then the games loot mechanics might come into question, and whether or not it's a guild and there was a pre-existing agreement. Or if it was a disagreement in a PUG.

As a former wow player, I'm not sure how one would outright steal the loot.

Maybe in Everquest though?

WoW and most games in general do not apply here. Read their TOS, its not your property you are just allowed to play with it, thus it can never be stolen from you. Thats why they can ban you for selling gold.

[merockstar]

Is the rare mmo sword being stolen or ninja'd?

If the sword is being ninja'd then the games loot mechanics might come into question, and whether or not it's a guild and there was a pre-existing agreement. Or if it was a disagreement in a PUG.

As a former wow player, I'm not sure how one would outright steal the loot.

Maybe in Everquest though?

WoW and most games in general do not apply here. Read their TOS, its not your property you are just allowed to play with it, thus it can never be stolen from you. Thats why they can ban you for selling gold.

ahhhhhh gotcha.

so the question is if you have access via a private key to a spot on the blockchain, is the balance on that spot considered property?

[bitboy11]

What the hell is wrong with this OP
Are you serious?

[shorena]

-snip-
ahhhhhh gotcha.

so the question is if you have access via a private key to a spot on the blockchain, is the balance on that spot considered property?

It is technically true that you do not own bitcoin and in fact noone owns bitcoins. We are -in the terminology- just allowed to "play" with them because we "own" certain private keys.
The interesting (philosophical) question is whether someone can rightfully claim exclusive ownership over certain information.
I think this is covered by law in most countries regardless. In germany this would probably fall under §202a StGB the so called "Hacker paragraph". Its basically electronically trespassing. The law just requires that you are not allowed the access the information/data by me and I secured it/them in a reasonable way.
Whether or not this would eventually end in front of a judge is something completely different.

[seriouscoin]

Theft of any tangible property is illegal. Period.

Yes.

If the state does not recognize that Bitcoin is the property, then???
I'm pretty sure that if your Bitcoins are stolen in China, the Chinese authorities will not seek criminal. So it isn't illegal...

Or I invented an even better example:
Drugs are illegal almost everywhere. So if someone steal your drugs, it isn't illegal. Because it will be not punishable by law. Because no one go to the police with a statement: "My drugs are stolen"  

Hey dumb fck , might as well use North Korean as your example.

Your analogy about drugs speak volume about your intelligence.

[fsb4000]

I think this is covered by law in most countries regardless. In germany this would probably fall under §202a StGB the so called "Hacker paragraph". Its basically electronically trespassing. The law just requires that you are not allowed the access the information/data by me and I secured it/them in a reasonable way.

What if bitcoins are stolen without hack? For example "Random generator" bug(like was https://bitcoin.org/en/alert/2013-08-11-android )  or if two people use same phrase for generate bitcoin address via "brainwallet".

[shorena]

I think this is covered by law in most countries regardless. In germany this would probably fall under §202a StGB the so called "Hacker paragraph". Its basically electronically trespassing. The law just requires that you are not allowed the access the information/data by me and I secured it/them in a reasonable way.

What if bitcoins are stolen without hack? For example "Random generator" bug(like was https://bitcoin.org/en/alert/2013-08-11-android )  or if two people use same phrase for generate bitcoin address via "brainwallet".

Not sure if "guessing the same seed for a brainwallet" counts as "overcome the accessrestriction". I am no lawyer but it think both of these would fall under "sucks to be you". Bugs are (assumed to be) not intentional and brainwallets that can easily be guess are no "accressrestriction".

Is there any known ruling about stolen bitcoin in any country?

[tzortz]

Stealing shit is illegal too.

[Minecache]

For example, if I mislead someone into sending me a large amount of bitcoins (in the United States) would that be illegal?

If I did not force them to do anything, but they sent them anticipating me to send a product in return, but I never send it.

Would this be considered illegal considering no one would know whether the bitcoin address that received the bitcoins was my address?

You are a comple and nasty individual to think andact through such an act. I have reported you to the moderators. I hope one day you gain some humility for your fellow man. How very dare you.

[BTCmoons]

I think this is covered by law in most countries regardless. In germany this would probably fall under §202a StGB the so called "Hacker paragraph". Its basically electronically trespassing. The law just requires that you are not allowed the access the information/data by me and I secured it/them in a reasonable way.

What if bitcoins are stolen without hack? For example "Random generator" bug(like was https://bitcoin.org/en/alert/2013-08-11-android )  or if two people use same phrase for generate bitcoin address via "brainwallet".

Not sure if "guessing the same seed for a brainwallet" counts as "overcome the accessrestriction". I am no lawyer but it think both of these would fall under "sucks to be you". Bugs are (assumed to be) not intentional and brainwallets that can easily be guess are no "accressrestriction".

Is there any known ruling about stolen bitcoin in any country?

Correctly guessing the passphriase to a brainwallet is on very shaky grounds however it likely not illegal. Since the controller of the private key is the defacto owner of the bitcoin controlled by the private key, since the person guessing brain wallets would control the private key they would be the owner of the bitcoin they move out of the brainwallet.

[panju1]

For example, if I mislead someone into sending me a large amount of bitcoins (in the United States) would that be illegal?

If I did not force them to do anything, but they sent them anticipating me to send a product in return, but I never send it.

Would this be considered illegal considering no one would know whether the bitcoin address that received the bitcoins was my address?

You are a comple and nasty individual to think andact through such an act. I have reported you to the moderators. I hope one day you gain some humility for your fellow man. How very dare you.

I think the moderators would not be bothered about somebody asking hypothetical questions in this forum.

[factor280]

Is this an actual topic of discussion?

[SomethingElse]

It is a crime, and one that is hard to prove and trace.  I am not sure if anybody has been brought to justice yet for stealing bitcoins.

[Micky Ron]

Actual Prosecution rarely happens

[bitok.com]

For example, if I mislead someone into sending me a large amount of bitcoins (in the United States) would that be illegal?

If I did not force them to do anything, but they sent them anticipating me to send a product in return, but I never send it.

Would this be considered illegal considering no one would know whether the bitcoin address that received the bitcoins was my address?

You are a comple and nasty individual to think andact through such an act. I have reported you to the moderators. I hope one day you gain some humility for your fellow man. How very dare you.

Well, maybe this user was speaking hypothetically, still you are right. If the idea comes the the head, another one could make it real. Stealing Bitcoins may be some sort of a "perfect crime"..

[Monkeynutz]

I've had some stolen.
fucks.

[Grand_Voyageur]

Perfect crime doesn't exist; instead, we have sloppy investigations.

[BittBurger]

Alright, since the general consensus is that stealing bitcoins is illegal.
If I discontinue the use of communication with said person (from a way that can be linked back to my IP address) and continue the conversation on an anonymized, encrypted email, with TOR, a VPN, and tails, and then execute said plan, law enforcement would have no way to prove that it was me who committed the crime and I would not be held accountable due to lack of evidence that it was me, correct?

I'm absolutely fascinated that people like you exist.  Tell me about your parents.   Were they cussing, drinking, smoking parents who were physically abusive to you?   Do you think maybe you were born with some portions of your brain turned off (aka psycopath / no ability for empathy, etc) ?  

What is it that results in a human being like you?  

Are you aware that most of the world struggles with severe pain, both emotionally, physically, and otherwise because people like you exist?  Wars, tortures, bloodshed, death, sadness, starvation, and misery originates with people who think ... like you.   There are people around the world have to dedicate their entire lives to helping those that people like you hurt.  

What is it that goes on inside the mind of someone like yourself, when you realize that you are the personification of everything most people are disgusted by, in human nature?

Just curious.

-B-