I think I understand your dilemma.
In the original Fable, it was possible to steal items from shops simply by walking up to a certain object and holding down the directional pad.
In Fable II, it is no longer possible to steal the items themselves; however, if you walk up to a cash register in a shop and hold down the A button when prompted, you are able to steal cash from a shop. If you want to steal from a house, walk up to a dresser, cupboard, etc., in the house and wait until you are prompted to hold down the A button.