If you make it a quest players will see it in the questlog and assume you need to complete it. And if the mayor had access to those chests Weirdwood would be far more prosperous...I agree to a degree, move him the a slightly more remote location, make it into a quest (a really easy quest), but a quest all the same, -- Track down the thief and return what he stole -- giving the player the option to keep the stolen goods for themselves (cheats on) or return them for a small reward (cheats off), with an option to "rob" the mayor if you change your mind (maybe a "vault" in the mayors house to turn cheats on/off)