What is the ruling on one who used to steal before reaching puberty?

Question : May Allah reward you. A man used to steal before he reached puberty, so what is required of him now? Does he have to return the injustices to their owners? And what is to be done if he does not possess the stolen money?

Answer : Yes, it is obligatory for him to return the injustices to their owners, even if he was a child when he stole, because the rights of human beings do not require puberty to be guaranteed. Listen to the rule: the rights of human beings do not require puberty or knowledge to be guaranteed; neither puberty nor knowledge. Therefore, if a madman breaks a person's vessels,
or breaks a person's light bulbs, is the madman liable or not? He is liable; it is taken from his wealth if he has wealth. Likewise, if he was a child, because the rights of human beings are based on strict liability. Also, knowledge is not required. For example, to clarify, if a person eats another person's loaf of bread. The loaf is known, right? It is known that a person placed a loaf in front of him while he was standing in the late-night prayer, wanting to eat it for the pre-dawn meal. Then another person came, thought it was his own loaf, took it, and ate it. Is he liable to its owner or not? He is liable. The rights of human beings do not require puberty, sanity, or knowledge; they are guaranteed in all cases. So we say to this one who stole while he was a child: he must return the money to its owner. If the owner has died, he must return it to his heirs. If he does not know that it was lost, does not know where it went, and does not know that he has heirs, let him give it in charity on his behalf, and Allah the Exalted knows its owner. Yes. Yes. As for if he does not possess the money, it remains a debt on him until Allah makes it easy for him.