The mall was removed because it didn't fit into the post-apocalyptic world and spoiled the impression. That's something I personally agree with, and browsing the market strikes me as a better mechanic. But I understand that so many people have a problem with it, I too find the success rate of finding a market stall too low. But this may be related to the fact that the amount of clothing in the game has been (if I'm not mistaken) temporarily reduced due to Sammy now having 3 different bust sizes, so hopefully the number of stalls and their merchandise will increase in the future. There's also a chance that more places and ways to get clothes will be added, similar to how you can shop for swimsuits at Sandy's. So I believe there are ways to improve clothes shopping without having to return the mall.
As for stealing, I guess it depends on how you play, I think I've only had one item stolen, maybe not even that.