It was written and produced by Dane Deviller, Sean Hosein and Steve Kipner for Rowland's debut solo album Simply Deep (2002).

[5][6] "Stole", written and produced by Dane Deviller, Sean Hosein and Steve Kipner,[7] is a midtempo pop rock ballad, which incorporates elements of R&B music.

AllMusic editor Jon O'Brien named the song one of the album's highlights along with "Can't Nobody", "Dilemma" and "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" and called it a "rock-tinged [...] emotive tale of school shootings and suicides.

"[13] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian found that the "silky" song emphasized that Rowland's "speciality is the slightly funky party number with a moralising overtone.

"[9] British morning newspaper The Independent called "Stole" Simply Deep's "strongest track [...] a lament for unfulfilled potential, especially that of smart kids victimised by dumb thug culture.

"[8] Lisa Verrico of The Times noted the song "tells stories of shattered dreams through a series of fictional characters, has a naggingly catchy chorus and [...] shows Rowland as a strong, smooth, versatile singer.

"[15] BBC Music editor Joy Dunbar found that the "Sade-influenced "Stole" which is about universal life experiences highlights Kelly's soulful, spine tingling singing voice.

"[16] The Torch's Frank DeBellis remarked that "Stole" is a "single that truly expresses Rowland’s talent and represents the sounds of the entire album.

"[17] Less impressed, Houston Chronicle journalist Michael D. Clark felt that "with minimalist vibrato, [...] "Stole" tells the tragic stories of characters who never realize their dreams of stardom.

[25] A music video for "Stole" was filmed by Moroccan-American director Sanaa Hamri in Los Angeles, California in mid-2002 and depicts a group of students who have their lives stolen through teenager issues.

The first scene is of Jonathan, a young man getting up to go to school, then he goes downstairs to see his sister and distraught mother with a black eye, who had obviously been beaten by his father.

Mary, a girl who is an aspiring actress and is alluded to have known Jonathan, walks by and hears the shooting, goes into the bathroom, finds his body and calls the police.