From "Barry Zelf's Guide to Beginning Burglars"

Chapter 12: What Not to Steal

By now you should be familiar with the sort of things you should try to steal: small but costly things like watches, jewelry, iPods, and cookies. Equally important, though, are the things any good crook will just pass by.

1) Anything alive--Whether it's a cat, a dog, or a baby, taking a living thing is a hazardous proposition. Ever read a little story called "The Ransom of Red Chief"?
2) Anything you can't carry by yourself--Sure, that chair looks tempting. But do you really think you can outrun the law when you're lugging a Barcalounger behind you?
3) Anything that says "contains a tracking device"--Most of these labels are fake. But it's not the sort of thing you want to bet on.
4) If you're robbing a rickety old building, for God's sake don't steal the beam that's holding the damn roof up.