Theft of public property and differing punishments
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 271
فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : أَمَّا هذَا فَهُوَ مِنْ مَالِ اللهِ وَلَا حَدَّ عَلَيْهِ، مَالُ اللهِ أَكَلَ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً، وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَعَلَيْهِ الْحَدُّ، (الشَّدِيدُ) فَقَطَعَ يَدَهُ.
Then Amīr al-mu’minīn said: As for this one who is the property of public money, there is no punishment for him for it means one property of Allāh having taken another property of Allāh. As for the other, he should get the punishment. Consequently, his hand was cut.