diff --git a/Strategic/Player Command.cpp b/Strategic/Player Command.cpp
index 34581458..5da09c71 100644
--- a/Strategic/Player Command.cpp	
+++ b/Strategic/Player Command.cpp	
@@ -457,7 +457,6 @@ BOOLEAN SetThisSectorAsEnemyControlled( INT16 sMapX, INT16 sMapY, INT8 bMapZ, BO
 	UINT16 usMapSector = 0;
 	BOOLEAN fWasPlayerControlled = FALSE;
 	INT8 bTownId = 0;
-	UINT8 ubTheftChance;
 	UINT8 ubSectorID;
 
 	//KM : August 6, 1999 Patch fix
@@ -558,14 +557,11 @@ BOOLEAN SetThisSectorAsEnemyControlled( INT16 sMapX, INT16 sMapY, INT8 bMapZ, BO
 		// stealing should fail anyway 'cause there shouldn't be a temp file for unvisited sectors, but let's check anyway
 		if ( GetSectorFlagStatus( sMapX, sMapY, ( UINT8 ) bMapZ, SF_ALREADY_VISITED ) == TRUE )
 		{
-			// enemies can steal items left lying about (random chance).	The more there are, the more they take!
-			ubTheftChance = 5 * NumEnemiesInAnySector( sMapX, sMapY, bMapZ );
-			// max 90%, some stuff may just simply not get found
-			if (ubTheftChance > 90 )
-			{
-				ubTheftChance = 90;
-			}
-			RemoveRandomItemsInSector( sMapX, sMapY, bMapZ, ubTheftChance );
+			// Enemies can steal items left lying about, each one can carry out up to X kg (defined in RemoveRandomItemsInSector).
+			// Don't care underground sectors here -- we are in overground code branch.
+			UINT8 ubNumAdmins, ubNumTroops, ubNumElites, ubNumRobots, ubNumTanks, ubNumJeeps;
+			GetNumberOfStationaryEnemiesInSector( sMapX, sMapY, &ubNumAdmins, &ubNumTroops, &ubNumElites, &ubNumRobots, &ubNumTanks, &ubNumJeeps );
+			RemoveRandomItemsInSector( sMapX, sMapY, bMapZ, (UINT32)ubNumAdmins + ubNumTroops + ubNumElites );
 		}
 
 		// don't touch fPlayer flag for a surface sector lost to the enemies!
diff --git a/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.cpp b/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.cpp
index 2427201b..8fb982ad 100644
--- a/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.cpp	
+++ b/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.cpp	
@@ -1106,10 +1106,30 @@ void HandleLoyaltyForDemolitionOfBuilding( SOLDIERTYPE *pSoldier, INT16 sPointsD
 }
 
 
-void RemoveRandomItemsInSector( INT16 sSectorX, INT16 sSectorY, INT16 sSectorZ, UINT8 ubChance )
+static BOOLEAN CanRemoveWorldItem( WORLDITEM *worlditem, UINT32 uiMaxWeight, UINT32 *pStackWeight )
 {
+	BOOLEAN result = FALSE;
+	UINT32 uiChance = 10UL * Item[worlditem->object.usItem].ubCoolness;
+
+	UINT32 uiStackWeight = 0;
+	for ( int objIndex = 0; objIndex < worlditem->object.ubNumberOfObjects; objIndex++ )
+		uiStackWeight += worlditem->object.GetWeightOfObjectInStack( objIndex );
+
+	if ( Chance( uiChance ) && uiStackWeight <= uiMaxWeight )
+		result = TRUE;
+
+	*pStackWeight = uiStackWeight;
+	return result;
+}
+
+
+void RemoveRandomItemsInSector( INT16 sSectorX, INT16 sSectorY, INT16 sSectorZ, UINT32 uiNumEnemies )
+{
+	const UINT32 uiCarryWeightPerSoldier = 30;  // 3 kg
+
 	// remove random items in sector
-	UINT32 uiNumberOfItems = 0, iCounter = 0;
+	UINT32 uiNumberOfItems = 0, iCounter = 0, uiStackWeight = 0;
+	UINT32 uiWeightToSteal = uiCarryWeightPerSoldier * uiNumEnemies;
 	std::vector<WORLDITEM> pItemList;//dnl ch75 271013
 	UINT32 uiNewTotal = 0;
 	CHAR16 wSectorName[ 128 ];
@@ -1149,11 +1169,12 @@ void RemoveRandomItemsInSector( INT16 sSectorX, INT16 sSectorY, INT16 sSectorZ,
 			//if the item exists, and is visible and reachable, see if it should be stolen
 			if ( pItemList[ iCounter ].fExists && pItemList[ iCounter ].bVisible == TRUE && pItemList[ iCounter ].usFlags & WORLD_ITEM_REACHABLE )
 			{
-				if ( Chance( ubChance ) )
+				if ( CanRemoveWorldItem( &pItemList[iCounter], uiWeightToSteal, &uiStackWeight ) )
 				{
 					// remove
 					--uiNewTotal;
 					pItemList[ iCounter ].fExists = FALSE;
+					uiWeightToSteal -= uiStackWeight;
 
 					// debug message
 					ScreenMsg( MSG_FONT_RED, MSG_DEBUG, L"%s stolen in %s!", ItemNames[ pItemList[ iCounter ].object.usItem ], wSectorName );
@@ -1174,9 +1195,11 @@ void RemoveRandomItemsInSector( INT16 sSectorX, INT16 sSectorY, INT16 sSectorZ,
 			// note, can't do reachable test here because we'd have to do a path call...
 			if ( gWorldItems[ iCounter ].fExists && gWorldItems[ iCounter ].bVisible == TRUE )
 			{
-				if ( Chance( ubChance ) )
+				if ( CanRemoveWorldItem( &gWorldItems[iCounter], uiWeightToSteal, &uiStackWeight ) )
 				{
 					RemoveItemFromPool( gWorldItems[ iCounter ].sGridNo , iCounter, gWorldItems[ iCounter ].ubLevel );
+					uiWeightToSteal -= uiStackWeight;
+					
 					// debug message
 					ScreenMsg( MSG_FONT_RED, MSG_DEBUG, L"%s stolen in %s!", ItemNames[ gWorldItems[ iCounter ].object.usItem ], wSectorName );
 				}
diff --git a/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.h b/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.h
index abee6506..2cde0c52 100644
--- a/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.h	
+++ b/Strategic/Strategic Town Loyalty.h	
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ BOOLEAN HandleLoyaltyAdjustmentForRobbery( SOLDIERTYPE *pSoldier );
 void HandleLoyaltyForDemolitionOfBuilding( SOLDIERTYPE *pSoldier, INT16 sPointsDmg );
 
 // remove random item from this sector
-void RemoveRandomItemsInSector( INT16 sSectorX, INT16 sSectorY, INT16 sSectorZ, UINT8 ubChance );
+void RemoveRandomItemsInSector( INT16 sSectorX, INT16 sSectorY, INT16 sSectorZ, UINT32 uiNumEnemies );
 
 // get the shortest distance between these two towns via roads
 INT32 GetTownDistances( UINT8 ubTown, UINT8 ubTownA );