[phorese]

Maybe because too often that's real-life economics, too. It's just not usually about retrieving the item (as comic books might imply).

"Oh no, that dude stole [insert item of low value X]! Let's imprison him and cause [insert vastly larger number Y] in tax dollars to punish him!"

[Tyrannosaurs]

But even if you consider that decision rational, think of the cost of property insurance.

Seriously, what insurance company is going to offer to insure the Daily Planet building with it being a known magnet for supervillans looking for Superman? Based on that can we assume that the Planet is almost certainly uninsured and paying for it's own repairs out of wafer thin newspaper profits. If so frankly how is it even still in business?

[patmcc]

>>>If so frankly how is it even still in business?

Newspapers sell a lot better in a universe with constant supervillain attacks.