Here’s another ethical issue and Jewish source response:

Case

Three twelve-year-old boys were seen shoplifting some candy from a local store near the synagogue just before Hebrew school.  The owner of the store, upset by the repeated robbery of his goods, walked into the synagogue and found the principal’s office.  Together they walked through the halls and found Simon, one of the boys he recognized. When confronted, Simon confessed to the crime, returned the candy that was still in his pocket and agreed to take whatever punishment would be dished out.  On the other hand, he refused to “squeal” on his two partners. The principal told Simon that revealing the names of the other two thieves was the right thing to do. Simon disagreed, saying that while he would take the punishment that he deserved, it was not honorable to get anyone else in trouble.

Answer

Does a thief have to turn in his partners in crime?

[a] Leviticus 19:16 teaches that you cannot let a neighbor be physically hurt: DO NOT STAND BY WHILE YOUR NEIGHBOR’S BLOOD IS SHED.

[b] In Deuteronomy 21:1-3 the same lesson is expanded to guarding your neighbor’s property  IF YOU SEE YOUR NEIGHBOR’S OX OR SHEEP LOST, YOU MUST NOT IGNORE IT…YOU MUST DO THE SAME THING FOR ANYTHING THAT IS YOUR NEIGHBOR’S – YOU MUST NOT REMAIN INDIFFERENT.

The Talmud, Bava Metzia 30b, makes this clear by saying: “If a person sees flood waters approaching someone else’s field, that person must make a barrier or a dam and try to stop them in order to prevent damage to the neighbor’s property.”

[c] Later legal sources (Mishnah Torah, Laws of Robbery, 1:13, Shulchan Aruch, Hoshen Mishpat 426:1, Mappah on Hoshen Mishpat 388:11, etc) expand this law to require the revealing of information when a neighbor will experience financial loss as well.  

Jewish law makes it clear that every witness to a crime – even one of the criminals – is obligated to come forward and testify. 

Joel Grishaver, “You Be the Judge”, pgs. 44-45

Used with permission from Joel Grishaver