I can certainly see where the victim(s) of a corp theft feel betrayed OOCly. As has been stated, it's not all RP, all the time. We form bonds as players with the people in our corps/alliances. It's the nature of EVE's unsharded, single persistent game world that we kinda have to bond more closely than players have to in other, less harsh game environments.
This being generally the case, it seems reasonable to me for someone to be pretty pissed/hurt about this happening. I suffered an 8b corp theft early in my EVE career... wasn't actively RPing at that time, but I don't see myself being any less pissed if someone joined 10k and stole from us. Especially if it's someone I vouched for or whatever, that'd make it even more personal to me.
At the same time (
) I agree that it creates opportunity for RP. I agree that it can be a very RP/IC-motivated act. I am not unilaterally opposed to corp theft, even with myself/my corp as the target. I play this game as opposed to those other games for a reason: it's harsh. I completely approve of and condone corp theft in all of its forms.
Yes, this is a little hypocritical of me. I'm okay with that. "It's all fun and games until it happens to you."
Would I continue an OOC friendship with a person who corp-thefted me? I strongly doubt it. Do I expect a player to notify me OOC in advance about his/her intent to do so? Of course not - why the hell would I leave that person's character with access to hard-won gains that I know they mean to steal? Yes, that violates the IC/OOC divide as I understand it, and yes, I'm okay with that, too.
I think it's just something that has to be chalked up to the nature of the game we love
EDIT:
Maybe the issue is more to have friends in Eve.
Then are we all doing it wrong ?
In fact, yes. I think that, because of what EVE and New Eden and Capsuleers are all about, having friends in EVE really IS doing it wrong. But like any MMO, it's extremely difficult and quickly grows boring to not have any friends at all to share your triumphs or your defeats, to laugh with and vent to and cry with when your goldfish dies. I've formed some very tight friendships with people whom I don't judge and know will not judge me, through this terrible game. I expect to form more such bonds, especially as I do what I can to help Souchek and co. build their (our) EVE vision.
So yeah... friends in EVE is doing it wrong, in the context of how the game is designed and arguably meant to be played. But I'm okay with that, too