I gather that it would be straightforward for individual bitcoin users to refuse to handle known-stolen bitcoins. Perhaps this is illegal already - under local

I gather that it would be straightforward for individual bitcoin users to refuse to handle known-stolen bitcoins. Perhaps this is illegal already - under local handling of stolen goods laws. People would likely be inclined to take up this policy were there a single case of legal enforcement. I believe this would lead to a stable situation where those known-stolen bitcoins were worth far less than regular bitcoins. The present loud reaction would become irrelevant. What's more, I believe it would benefit bitcoin to remove some of the danger of (irreversible) theft.