Sayyiduna al-Harith bin Hatib (may Allah be pleased with him) says that a man stole in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The man was brought to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Kill him." They said: He has only stolen. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then cut off his hand." Then he stole again and was cut. Then he stole in the time of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and was cut; then he stole again and was cut, until all his limbs had been cut off. Then he stole a fifth time, and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) knew better about this man when he ordered that he be killed. Take him away and kill him." So he was handed over to some young men of Quraysh, among them Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both). Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Make me your leader. So they made him their leader, and whenever he struck him, they struck him, until they killed him.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السرقة / 17261