You bring up a very good point about drug related theft. It's rampant everywhere, and it's mostly middle income home owners that are effected by it. I've heard similar statistics to your 70%. How is constantly having to worry about some dead head, drug addict breaking into my home making me, "free"?
The metal theft is getting so bad around here, scrap yards want photo I.D.'s that give your address. Just in case your selling stolen material. Sure, you can get phonies, but it does tend to stop the druggies from grabbing a quick buck for their next fix. That's what most of these clowns are after. They're too stupid and nervous to plan any kind of big "heist".
Most of these vermin stick to breaking into homes, or else "Quick Mart" type robberies that net a few bucks. If you look where this type of crime is the highest, it's ALWAYS where drug use is rampant. Women can become hookers to support their habit. Men have to steal.
So you basically have idiots who are hooked on whatever type of chemical, and are too stupid and lazy to work, stealing whatever from whoever to be able to buy drugs. This can be looked at in many ways, however being "free" isn't one of them.