how about marking the items??
For ex. shooted character is losing now his items, which are laying on a floor and marked as 'hot'. Hot items can b picked by NPC only, every palyer who would try to pick those items gonna be crit shoot i the eyes, and die instantly (
) and all stuff is now going same way to NPC. There is no intrest in shoting anybody or being shooted in this ex.
Now about thieves & stealing.
Thief, when spotted at stealing, have turn on battle time (like now), can be shot without consq. and have marked
ALL items he's got as 'stealed'[as long as battle time runs].
If he manage to run away, prize is stayin with him.
If shooted, items are market second time [stealed & hot now],then stuff can be picked only by NPC and, after all this mess,
robbed player can collect his and thief's items[mean all marked as 'stealed'] from designated to this purpose NPC [for example sheriff in NCR]
I know Fonline is all about survival, its harsz, dangerous etc etc...... But guarded town shoud be really GUARDED, not semi-guarded, almost guarded or looks like guarded(this is how its look like now)