Virtual property has been protected in China: http://www.guangzhou.gov.cn/node_420/node_428/2006-04/1144636826100185.shtml
China Government Bans Online Virtual-Currency Dealing Platforms for Minors: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-22/tencent-shares-fall-after-china-announces-virtual-currency-ban-for-minors.html
Virtual Currency In China Is A $2 Billion Economy: http://www.businessinsider.com/virtual-currency-in-china-is-a-2-billion-economy-2009-7
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The Chinese case is quite interesting. There was also another case around the same time (2005) where the victim of the theft went to the police, who did nothing because from their perspective there was no theft, and the victim decided to take justice into his own hands and stabbed the thief to death. In 2008, a Minnesota man tried to press charges against someone who stole virtual property in Final Fantasy XI worth about $4000 USD. Again, the police felt there was nothing they could do and fortunately the man did not take justice into his own hands in this case. In principal, it’s hard to argue that there is any reason to distinguish between online and real world theft.