I think you are absolutely right that the far, far majority of stealing, or crimes of any sort are NOT out of necessity, and I find it abhorant (sp? too lazy to check) that anyone could think that their need/greed could be justified in any way. I just find that for my own sanity and health of my own spirit, I need to always find multiple ways to look at why people do the things that they do.
In reality, the majority of people suck, and if our majority represents us as a whole, we as a species deserve the grave were digging ourselves. But that is just TOO cynical for everyday survival.