Work Ethic?

A local restaurant closed permanently today.  In the last six months, it was open under two separate names.  The first time it was opened by a neighboring town's police chief and his wife.  They had a restaurant in their town that closed.  It was a bigger town with two intersecting highways that went through it.  I am not sure why they thought that they could make it in the smaller town of Watkins.  They closed in less than four months.


The buildings owners decided to rename the restaurant and open it up again.  Last week two cooks and a waitress quit.  After watching the surveillance video, they realized that more than one of the employees was stealing from them.  Both of the owners have full time jobs and can't participate in the running of the restaurant.  They needed to find ethical and trustworthy employees. 


I just don't understand what kind of person can steal from their boss. After all, how long will you keep your job when you steal from them?  Was it worth the few bucks they stole to lose their jobs and to cause the restaurant to close?


Recently I heard of someone who lied to their employer on their job.  It wasn't just a simple lie.  It was a very complicated and drawn out lie.  It was too complicated to keep straight and they got caught.  They were making around a 6-digit income.  Was it worth losing their job over?


What are people thinking when they don't work with the highest ethical standard?  I just don't understand it.