In general, the law does not encourage "self help," unless there is danger to be averted. Since the legal requirement of "stealing" is the taking of "property of another" with intent to permanently deprive, legal ownership would be implied in that definition. So you wouldn't be stealing, but you probably would get in trouble from the person who stole from you if prone to violence or their cohorts outnumber your tribe. Hence the law discourages self-help. You might get hurt.
