I actually mention this in my bug list too, I also figured out (* I believe) the reasoning it happened

And since you could actually remove it, and it was marked (stolen) I know which of the three states you qualify under.

1. State 1 - Using the Store's Shopping basket - with the price on side - If you use the store basket (which you MUST use to properly shop at partsmith)
   1. Do not Lid - Lidding it will lock the contents physics (Crates Lock physics when they are lidded) - They will FOREVER be glued to that crate if you leave with it lidded - because the Shopping Basket SWAPS itself with a regular crate (and will never swap back to the same shopping basket, nor a new one on future returns
      1. You can test this for yourself by standing in store, and playing around with the basket, you can lid it, unlid it, put things in, take things out, etc, no issue - The problem occurs when the "Shopping basket is Locked" and the "Crate gets unlocked" - The shopping basket is still locked, no matter how many times you open that crate, leaving the items in limbo, forever.
2. State 2 - USING YOUR OWN CRATE, OR A PREVIOUS SHOPPING BASKET TURNED CRATE *(CEASE FURTHER USE OF THIS, YOU MUST USE THE SHOPPING BASKET OR YOU WILL BE ROBBED OF YOUR MONEY)
   1. hah, I'm technically lying, You don't need to, just don't lid it until you leave, and You... should.. be fine.. I dunno. I haven't tested it.
      
      1. Using your own crate, which remains a crate upon entering, and remains a crate upon leaving - Seems like a win win, You get to lid it, no items exploding, items deduct "accordingly" seems "alright"
         1. Theoretically, Like I said with "a" - you might actually be allowed to use your own crate, and are really just restricted to "never lidding a crate within the Partsmith shop
         2. But
         3. State 2 "(stolen)" but I paid for them, occurs, when you place the items in your own crate, and then lid it shut
         4. Yeah it remains "a crate" and the items will "properly" return to physics and be removable from the crate when unlidded
      2. BUT YOU BOUGHT THE LIDDED ITEMS......the unlidded items are, Mechanically, not the same set, despite being the same item.
         
         1. The game treats them as two separate entities, and because you somehow walked out of his store with "unpaid/free" merch, that merch is "(stolen)", Forever. You can only use it for yourself, or burn it in the incinerator, You will never ever EVER remove the "(stolen)"
            
         2. Taking it back to partsmith and attempting to take it back out when you have money? Nothing
            
         3. Attempting to put it into shopping basket? 1-16$ he WILL try and sell you it, Still won't change it when it leaves the store
3. State 3 - Broken
   1. Broken Occurs when you mess up using The Shopping basket, and parts get ejected, flying everywhere. - The Game (dunno why) add "-2$" to the box total every time a part leaves the box. - If it has time to think about it, it will also "remove" the price of the part...or maybe its "if it doesn't have time to think about it"?
   2. This can result in a negative bill, infinity negative.. removing the basket from the store after this point will cause whatever price on the basket to be "deducted" ... in "negative" case, that means being Paid to walk out of partsmith's shop empty handed.