I don't know the specifics, and am not a member of Kaizen, but if a member is in point debt from getting a high value item, they would still "owe time" to the LS and thus it could be called stealing. In certain instances a shell will give an item to a person who does not have enough points for it because it is known that the item will increase their performance noticably, and they have shown a dedication to the shell that makes others believe they will earn those points back quickly. While they are in point debt, they are unable to lot on anything, but when an item costs 80 points, and someone has 65, and the best job to make use of the item with no competetors present, they will be given the item and fall into point debt.
More often than not, a point debt will only occur with rare/ex items where someone present has to get the item and all the people who could use it either allready have one or dont have enough points. Of course, if you spent 25 points getting a peice of tradable gear, then later went into a deep point debt on something else, and at that time chose to leave the shell because you accumulated your last items from the shell you had wanted, then your point debt could easily be covered by tradable items. If you refuse to give them up and leave with a substantial point debt that you had the ability to repay, then I could understand it being called theft.