hmm, i haven't read anyones posts... cos well, theres too many!!
but, knowing that there was going to be no PERMANENT damage... i'd take the beating.. i wouldn't want to risk the psychological trauma that would be placed on my fagile little mind, if i knowingly killed someone for no real reason
if it was me or them. fuck. they'd die.
in reality, i'd prefer to just give them a fucking good beating, hopefully so they could realise that trying to steal things is wrong.