Well that's fairly obvious, there's more chance you'll get *something* even if it is a stack of bandages. Basically random marks aren't going to laugh quite so hard. But the thief who just picked the same mark and targeted a powerscroll the random guy missed? Oh he's really laughing! Without snooping you don't even know if that player *has* anything of value to steal randomly or targeted.
Again, you're making the point for me. Of course snooped stealing is better. But you don't see the point that improved random stealing would only make it easier for noob thieves who, as Goldberg points out, have little to lose. It isn't hard these days to run a second client, keeping a character hidden a ways away for when the thief needs a res.
Sometimes it's straightforward, others it isn't. Depends where you are, who is around and whether they already had you in your sights.
This is why a good thief is careful about scenarios, not just marks. Again, I refer you to my story.
Thieves are a rare breed now. You're not meeting them at every twist and turn. Even they came out in droves again, we can still thief proof our packs as we used to do before. We have insurance to protect valuables where they were once open to steal. Players can protect themselves against thieves beyond that. I don't grudge any thief a bandage or potion - I know the pickings are much thinner than they used to be.
Of course there aren't many thieves now, firstly because of insurance, and second with the preponderance of LRC suits.
I also know that the minute I die in Fel, my killer would probably take bandages and pots anyway. I don't expect to come home with that stuff after a fight.I don't mind a thief taking something as much as a gank party who jump me then loot lol. I was taught to travel light, so I couldn't care less if a thief targets me.
You're not exactly making a good point. If you think you're going to lose anyway, then why bother in the first place? You might as well e-bolt yourself in the comfort of home and save yourself the time.
I can't see any thief wasting their time by going back and forth random stealing bandages and potions and dying in the process. When there are so many other highly profitable ventures, you'd be better off in shops stealing semis and selling them. Or stealing in dungeons. I'm sorry if you don't like my tone, but really do you think anyone is going to rush to fel to random steal when they could make millions without even crossing facet? In the old days you could get something really fantastic in someone's pack because they couldn't insure it and keep it safe. So the loot was there, especially with players coming to Fel unprepared. The random pick was still worthwhile because you had more valuable options to get and you'd rarely come out empty handed. Now you have far less chance at pulling an item AND it's most likely to be a potion or some bandages. I don't think it's asking too much to ignore insured items. It's still never going to take thieves back to the old days.
Most who play thieves aren't interested in making the most money for time spent. PvP, outside of champ spawns, generally isn't that profitable either. Even before Trammel, PKing was rarely profitable because of stat loss.
Nobody is denying that thieves largely died off because of insurance, and of course it's for that reason most thieves don't resort to random stealing. But you haven't answered my point:
if snooping first is so much better, then why is anyone asking for random stealing to be improved? If random stealing still won't be that good, then as you say, someone will still likely get only bandages or potions. So why do you bother calling for improving something that will still get mostly non-insurable junk?
To snag a potion or bandage at least would be something, and as Goldberg points out, there's little to risk for the chance someone might have a scroll.
Thieves are quite a humble species these days, I doubt they'd be nerfed because they got a greater chance at random stealing.
Look at the wielding of the nerf stick since the game began. Archery was deemed too powerful. Magic resist was considered too powerful. Full plate, bards, fishing, need I go on?
So be careful what you wish for. If you get your improvement in random stealing, don't be surprised when the Devs think, "We made it too powerful," then make it so weak as to be worthless.
In today's game, would you run back and forth from the healers getting guardwhacked for bandages at the bank, when you could be out with a sampire soloing some bosses? Or when you could snoop without being attacked then target steal something useful instead? The most notorious thieves I remember snooped and targeted what they wanted. The other kind were the easiest to protect against. In fact, even the good ones weren't that impossible. I miss some of them, we had some good RP and laughs playing tag in Skara. But I don't see the bank thieves returning - unless there are marks at the bank regularly enough to justify hanging around, those days are long gone.
There were too many noob bank thieves, and outright cheaters, for me to have good memories of any. WBB used to be filled with deathrobe thieves who'd do exactly as you described in the first sentence. As full as WBB was of all types of characters, at least as many were hidden while banking, including thieves from other thieves. Thieves weren't interested in PvM or making the most money, only an easy template to bother others with the occasional chance of an item. They'd would steal and dash off toward a friend, who'd grab the item off the corpse. For this reason, it was implemented that guards would return a stolen item.
The game has evolved a lot since then. You can return, if you'd like, to splitting up bandage and potion piles, or filling your packs with junk. Almost everyone else would rather not.
If backpacks have a lot of stacks and clutter, your chances of getting something good are quite low. I generally found it better to do a walk-by snoop then target an item and go for it. Random steals got me 99% bandages lol. 
