The difference is that Bitconin is decentralized, so there in no equivalent of A.A. to handle the servers. But it's easy to understand that a number in a computer screen is valuable. Well, most of the dollars are only a number in a computer screen, not real life bills.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/briefs/vat/brief0914.htm

If the government regards something as having value it wouldn't seem unreasonable to expect them to regard theft of assets in this form to be a crime.

I've just smiled to myself picturing those guys coming together and then slowly re-learning everything we know about statesmanship and politics. Like the moment they first realize different people have different values and want different things. Then they're going to come up with the idea of democracy and a parliament. Only this time around it will be the Aspergers among us who try to figure out how to influence people. :)

But, of course, the best bit will be when they, so rationally, decide to give up the final ruling power to a super-intelligent AI, and then the look on their faces when the AI decides to do something that, while 100% rational, nobody wants.

Many fierce proponents of Bitcoins are the anarchy-leaning libertarians. Its appeal is that government agencies can't track and tax it (or have a tougher time with it)

While I do think a crime has occurred, it feels a bit like collecting a benefit you refused to pay into.