Any story or belief that would help unify the people to resist or overthrow the Romans would have been something worth lying or even dying for. If they really did steal the body, lie to thousands about it, confidently went to their death knowing they were dying for a lie while leading thousands of others to a similar fate than they were an amoral group of either scoundrels or lunatics. Yet it was these men who gave us the greatest moral and ethical teaching ever known to man. Adherents of the various Eastern philosophies might well dispute that last statement, but that's beside the point. Remember the historical context of those times.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Ideology tends to transcend the methods used to advance it. The Bible came from somewhere, and it is very unlikely it came from liars and lunatics. In large part, I'd agree. You said the Jews believe that the disciples stole the body. No, I said that the Jews were witness to the whole thing and remain unconvinced that Jesus was the Messiah.