What is up with this?????

Every now and then, I pick up the local paper just to see what kind of weirdness has been going on in my neck of the woods. I usually get one out of the newspaper machine outside of the local post office. Here is the thing, on more than one occasion, someone has come up behind me and asked if they could grab one too. WTH? They are only 50 cents!!!! What I would like to say is...."Hell no you thieving cheapskate!!!!! What you are doing is stealing!!!!" But I usually just stare at them in shock and amazement as they shove me out of the way, grab one or more papers and take off. This really pisses me off!!!! I will admit it...I am too chicken to say anything. You never know when somebody might go all postal and beat the tar out of me. Is stealing newspapers considered normal social behavior? Am I the one who is square and uncool?