5 CRITICAL THINKING Think! Then compare ideas with your class. ■ How serious are the crimes in stories A and B? Why?

Story A (Fashion shop thieves): This crime is relatively serious. The thieves attempted to steal luxury clothing and accessories worth €100,000. This is a significant financial loss and involves planned criminal activity.

Story B (Disappearing bottle of water): This is not a serious crime. The story presents several theories: it could have been stolen by an art thief (which would be a serious crime), mistaken for rubbish and thrown away, or taken by someone who was thirsty. If it was mistaken for rubbish or taken by someone thirsty, it's not a crime at all, or at most a minor mischief. Even if it was stolen by an art thief, the value of the 'art' itself (a bottle of water) is presented in a way that makes the situation seem almost whimsical rather than a grave criminal act.

Comparison: The crime in Story A is clearly more serious due to the high value of the intended stolen goods and the nature of organized theft. Story B's situation, while potentially involving theft, is presented with a much lighter tone and less severe implications.