Thanks @nancybriti. Hard times can make an intelligent person behave stupidly but yes, anyone who took time to consider their actions and the likely consequences would not go through with the plan Peter made for himself. In fact, in my opinion, that goes for every other criminal activity: the result is always negative, if not for us or our loved ones then it would be so for the victims. In the end someone is punished. But it is just like suicide; the point where the pain of the person who committed it ends, if it ends at all, is the point where the pain of their loved ones begin and it may not end. Once a criminal activity is committed, someone suffers and anyone who would be willing to think it through to its logical conclusion, would not do it.
So, yes, I agree with you, crime is a stupid thing to do but then so is suicide. Their common denominator is pain and a total disregard to what happens to oneself.
You leave the most insightful comments and I am glad to have you here. The second part of the story is en route. All the best dear.