Theft is undoubtedly one of the most traditional types of crime in human society, yet historical research on this topic has been insufficient. One of the features of this book is its use of the Ba County archives in Sichuan to present many previously little unknown facts about theft cases, overturning past stereotypes. Secondly, in terms of research methodology, this book attempts to analyze theft from multiple perspectives, including legal history, social history, historical criminology, material and consumer culture, as well as urban history and urban sociology. Thirdly, this book also considers trends from the 18th to the mid-19th century, thereby presenting the complex interplay between the rise and fall of dynasties, social changes, and the occurrence of crimes. From a macro-analytical perspective, this book points out that the frequency of theft cases in Ba County during the Tongzhi period was closely related to momentous historical events and to contemporary social trends. From a micro-analytical perspective, this book uses criminological theory to examine the diversity of criminal motives. Theft cases can also reflect social change over time, especially shifts in material consumption and the urban-rural divide resulting from urbanization. The book’s conclusion evaluates the governance capabilities of the late Qing state from the perspective of crime deterrence.