It's not that people are evil or heartless, the simply don't acknowledge anyone else. To them, no one else exists or is important and thus they can justify to themselves taking someone else's shit and not lose sleep over it. It's a mental sickness to be so self absorbed. Unfortunately there is no known cure except death. Most petty thievery is committed by people who never grew up to know anything but themselves. Most people adjust to the existence of others, some don't until later in life and some others never do. Crime is ultimately a very self-centered activity.

The only thing separating your CD changer from a thief is the window, you, the owner, don't exist.