Yes, it is probably true that theft is a universal characteristic of human society, perhaps the residual effect of the concept of communal property that existed in more primitive societies.
It may well be that human beings are hard-wired to regard all things as theirs for the taking --- possibly in exchange for something else, possibly by deception or force.
However, the public morality of developed societies is clearly opposed to theft on a small scale, so ultimately most thieves pay a price that far exceeds the value of that which has been stolen.
I emphasise the ideas of small scale theft and public morality.
In the immortal words of Robert Zimmerman:-
"Steal a little and they put you in jail, steal a lot and they make you a king"
Theft permeates our very being.
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