In apothecary shops, some things are free, others theft

[clif9711]

When I am looking around an apothecary shop, without talking to the shopkeeper, there are many things I can take freely, but others will be flagged as a theft were I to grab one. How is it determined what is free to take and what isn't?

[VirtualWeasel]

In the Creation Kit, there is an ownership setting for all objects. If ownership is not specified, it belongs to nobody. If it is specified, for a specific NPC, then it is stealing to take that object.

[Witchery]

It also depends on your relationship with the owner. If you are friends (you've done something for them, most likely), then you can take items of lower value from their shop/home for free. Items of high value will still be marked as theft if you take them.

[clif9711]

Thanks for the info.

[Ursula R. M.]

Almost every location has Free vs. Stolen items. I like to see what I can get from homes and the barrack's other places like that for "Free." Especially Palaces and law enforcement areas.

[Archea47]

I think this is explained well through the following example:

If you become friends with Alvor in Riverwood by joining Hadvar in escaping Helgen, Alvor says "Like I said, I'm glad to help in any way I can. Help yourself to whatever you need, within reason." (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Alvor)

You can see this early in the game too once you report to Jarl Balgruuf about the dragon attack - now that you are on friendly terms items under X (30?) amount of septims are free for the taking.

As VirtualWeasel mentioned there may be items you find that are tagged differently, but typically in a shop if you are on friendly terms with the shopkeeper they will let you take items under a certain value

[dem]

this confused me too. I did a favor for the alchemist in whiterun. I think it was delivering some frost salts to her from the Jarl's mage and then there were all kinds of free ingredients and potions.

[Kerr]

Just think of them as free samples. Get one for free, pay to buy other ones.

But yeah it would be for 1 of 3 reasons:
1.They wanted them to be free for everyone.
2. The person who owns it is okay with you taking it because you are friends.
3. Oversight on the part of the developers.

I've noticed with a number of books that people are fine with me reading them but get angry if I take them.

[dem]

Definitely number two. They were not free, I did the favor, then they were free. She did a lot of calling me friend and it's a great day with you around type talk too after the favor.