Defaulting on a debt is stealing - especially if the debt is, like taxes, principle only - it's a specialized form of it. Besides defaulting applies to loans.

Defaulting on a debt is stealing - especially if the debt is, like taxes, principle only - it's a specialized form of it. Besides defaulting applies to loans. In this case you're specifically withholding something that is legally someone else's. That's theft, no matter how you cut it.