When you call some crimes “senseless,” you risk implying that other crimes are sensible. Of course, we want our readers to know that crime does not pay. But if we’re honest, some crimes, in the short run, do have a payoff.

Stealing a purse may be dumb, and it is certainly not endorsed by most ethical systems. But it does have a purpose. If you succeed, you have the woman’s money. Plus, the purse makes a nice gift for your girlfriend, wife, or daughter.