It was knarrated that Safwan bin Umayyah said:"I was sleeping in the Masjid on a Khmaishah of mine that was worth thirty dirhams, and a man came and stole it from me. The man was caught and taken to the Prophet, who ordered that his hand be cut off. I came to him and said: "Will you cut off his hand for the sake of only thirty Dirhams? I will sell it to him on credit." He said:" Why did you not say this before you brought him to me?"
أَخْبَرَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو، عَنْ أَسْبَاطٍ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ أُخْتِ، صَفْوَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، قَالَ كُنْتُ نَائِمًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ عَلَى خَمِيصَةٍ لِي ثَمَنُهَا ثَلاَثُونَ دِرْهَمًا فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَاخْتَلَسَهَا مِنِّي فَأُخِذَ الرَّجُلُ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَ بِهِ لِيُقْطَعَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ أَتَقْطَعُهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ ثَلاَثِينَ دِرْهَمًا أَنَا أَبِيعُهُ وَأُنْسِئُهُ ثَمَنَهَا . قَالَ " فَهَلاَّ كَانَ هَذَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنِي بِهِ " .
Nesai
The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief • Hadith 4883