This is definitely a tough issue. I wish I had numbers on what kind of profit margins they make on the textbooks, as that would be helpful. If there is truly some kind of abusive profiteering going on, then I'd feel a little more sympathy for the thieves.

What makes this situation different than many other types of IP theft is the fact that students don't really have a lot of choice. Some schools have good student run co-op/used book sale systems, but many schools don't. You also don't have a lot of time to shop around. You get your classes and usually within a few days (tops) you need your books.

The school bookstores are definitely engaging in massive profiteering. They are the ones giving you 10% or less for your books and then selling them at 80-90% list price. It is a shame these guys can't find a way to screw the university bookstores as well as (or instead of) the publishers.