One of the reasons why this happens is because repeat violent offenders get away with a surprising amount. For instance, the lead criminal in this case had been charged with attempted murder in a separate case just a couple years before starting the crypto thefts, but the charges were eventually dropped. The crypto thefts seem extremely violent as well[2]:
> An elderly North Carolina couple was held hostage in their home by armed men who threatened to "cut off (the) husband’s toes and genitalia, to shoot him, and to rape his wife," before they were robbed of more than $156,000 in cryptocurrency, federal prosecutors said.
Violent crime seems to get far too much of a pass. Not every shoplifter needs to be punished to the ground, but violent crime should be punished harshly.
> An elderly North Carolina couple was held hostage in their home by armed men who threatened to "cut off (the) husband’s toes and genitalia, to shoot him, and to rape his wife," before they were robbed of more than $156,000 in cryptocurrency, federal prosecutors said.
[1] https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/crime/2018/08/22/up... [2] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/elderly-nc-couple-...