If they don't want the fcc or ham operators confiscating their gear they do.
Also, theft of one of these things is probably a criminal charge regardless of what rule someone was breaking with it. I'm a licensed motorcycle operator. If I see someone irresponsibly biking in a national park, I can't just take it when they're not looking.
... but I get huge hall monitor vibes from a disproportionate percentage of folks in that crowd. For some it seems like it's not about using rules to protect the airwaves– the rules become an end themselves.