diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
index 33a2ef1ea..58f2f6ee5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ namespace MWBase
             /// @return false if the attack was considered a "friendly hit" and forgiven
             virtual bool actorAttacked (const MWWorld::Ptr& victim, const MWWorld::Ptr& attacker) = 0;
             /// Utility to check if taking this item is illegal and calling commitCrime if so
-            virtual void itemTaken (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& item, int count) = 0;
+            /// @param container The container the item is in; may be empty for an item in the world
+            virtual void itemTaken (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& item, const MWWorld::Ptr& container,
+                                    int count) = 0;
             /// Utility to check if opening (i.e. unlocking) this object is illegal and calling commitCrime if so
             virtual void objectOpened (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& item) = 0;
             /// Attempt sleeping in a bed. If this is illegal, call commitCrime.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp
index 53b1e679a..579730f42 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             if (mPtr.getClass().isActor() && mPtr.getClass().getCreatureStats(mPtr).isDead())
                 return true;
             else
-                MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->itemTaken(player, item.mBase, count);
+                MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->itemTaken(player, item.mBase, mPtr, count);
         }
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp
index ae7d60d44..5cb67c048 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             throw std::runtime_error("Added item not found");
         mDragAndDrop->startDrag(i, mSortModel, mTradeModel, mItemView, count);
 
-        MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->itemTaken(player, newObject, count);
+        MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->itemTaken(player, newObject, MWWorld::Ptr(), count);
 
         if (MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->getSpellWindow())
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->getSpellWindow()->updateSpells();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index d52dcb43c..caa242338 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -936,11 +936,29 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         commitCrime(ptr, victim, OT_Trespassing);
     }
 
-    void MechanicsManager::itemTaken(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr &item, int count)
+    void MechanicsManager::itemTaken(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr &item, const MWWorld::Ptr& container,
+                                     int count)
     {
         MWWorld::Ptr victim;
-        if (isAllowedToUse(ptr, item, victim))
-            return;
+
+        if (!container.isEmpty())
+        {
+            // Inherit the owner of the container
+            if (isAllowedToUse(ptr, container, victim))
+                return;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            if (isAllowedToUse(ptr, item, victim))
+                return;
+
+            if (!item.getCellRef().hasContentFile())
+            {
+                // this is a manually placed item, which means it was already stolen
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
         commitCrime(ptr, victim, OT_Theft, item.getClass().getValue(item) * count);
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
index 2f443ad59..79580c050 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             /// @return false if the attack was considered a "friendly hit" and forgiven
             virtual bool actorAttacked (const MWWorld::Ptr& victim, const MWWorld::Ptr& attacker);
             /// Utility to check if taking this item is illegal and calling commitCrime if so
-            virtual void itemTaken (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& item, int count);
+            /// @param container The container the item is in; may be empty for an item in the world
+            virtual void itemTaken (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& item, const MWWorld::Ptr& container,
+                                    int count);
             /// Utility to check if opening (i.e. unlocking) this object is illegal and calling commitCrime if so
             virtual void objectOpened (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& item);
             /// Attempt sleeping in a bed. If this is illegal, call commitCrime.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/actiontake.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/actiontake.cpp
index 548a94981..269d941dc 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/actiontake.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/actiontake.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
     void ActionTake::executeImp (const Ptr& actor)
     {
         MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->itemTaken(
-                    actor, getTarget(), getTarget().getRefData().getCount());
+                    actor, getTarget(), MWWorld::Ptr(), getTarget().getRefData().getCount());
         actor.getClass().getContainerStore (actor).add (getTarget(), getTarget().getRefData().getCount(), actor);
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->deleteObject (getTarget());
     }