Sforno on Exodus 22:2/ספורנו על שמות כ״ב:ב׳

1ונמכר בגנבתו, if the Torah had not legislated this form of paying off one’s debt for theft most of the poor people of the nation would become thieves, knowing that they did not have to make restitution except with liquid assets. As a result of such lack of legislation civilisation would disintegrate into anarchy.