<s>[INST] This is a suit for damages claimed to have been sustained by the plaintiff by reason of the negligence of the defendant in not preventing the theft of a valuable ring. The complaint alleged that the defendant was the bailee of plaintiff's ring and had breached its duty as bailee by failing to exercise reasonable care in safeguarding the ring, which was stolen from its premises. To establish a prima facie case of negligence by the defendant, the plaintiff must show: I. The existence of a duty by the defendant to protect the ring from theft. II. A breach of that duty by the defendant. III. Causation. IV. Damages.
Which of the following, if proven, would be sufficient to establish a breach of duty by the defendant (element II above)?[/INST]