The prerequisite for robbery is that there must be something to steal; the prerequisite for kidnapping and demanding ransom is that the hostage must have the financial capacity to pay the ransom. As the Law of Blood Payment states, the value of a hostage’s life is determined by the willingness and ability of the parties to pay the ransom. Under conditions of equal risk and cost, the richer the hostage, and the wealthier the target of the robbery, the higher the returns from the kidnapping and robbery. Conversely, the poorer the target of the robbery or kidnapping, the lower the returns will be. If the returns are so low that they are not worth the effort, the bandits will cease their activities.