Drake Mall Is Located in an Area That Has a High

Drake Mall is located in an area that has a high crime rate. The mall parking lot has excellent lighting and the owners of the mall provide 24-hour security for the facility, both inside the facility and outside in the parking lot. A mall patron was attacked, robbed, and savagely beaten at 8:45 p.m. on a Friday evening. Mall security had just been in the parking area where the patron was accosted two minutes before the attack. Which of the following best describes the extent of the mall owners' liability for the patron's injuries?

A) There is never liability from the criminal acts of third parties.
B) There is liability if a patron had been attacked in that area before.
C) There is no liability if the security steps Drake Mall has taken are reasonable and prudent.
D) There is liability because commercial property owners are insurers against crimes to their invitees.