Car theft

Carjacking#

1. Find your markOn foot, weapon out. A driver who's stopped or nearly stopped: red light, traffic jam, leaving a parking lot. The car has to be within 10 m of you.
2. Stick him upKeep him in your sights for a moment: he slams the brakes as soon as he sees you.
3. Cash inIf he complies, he gets out with his hands up and throws you his wallet. The pricier the car, the fatter the wallet.
4. Drive offThe car is yours. The chop shop takes it as a free car, and an illegal garage can put it in your name.

When it goes sideways#

With a melee weapon you're a lot less scary: drivers only comply 50% of the time, floor it 25% of the time and fight back 25% of the time.

No emergency vehicles, no military, no bikes, boats or aircraft, no player cars: regular traffic only. The same car can only be jacked once.

Parked cars#

A car parked on the street, nobody inside: smash the window and hotwire it, like anywhere else. No wallet, but a free car for the chop shop. Less risk too: the owner reports it less often than a driver you just dragged out.

Player cars#

1. The deviceA locked player car only opens with a hacking device, sold at convenience stores: $20,000. Without it, nothing doing. It wears 20% per car.
2. Hack the lockStand right by the door: [E], 10 s with the tablet out. No alarm, and the device starts the car.
3. Get movingThe owner is warned right away, with your name, and sees the car on his map as long as you drive it. If he gets back in, the theft is over.

A player car left unlocked can be taken without a device.

The report#

Taking the wheel of a car that isn't yours can trigger a report, but not right away: 4 min to 5 min after the theft. Still behind the wheel when it comes in? The plate is flagged: ★. A reported car stays hot for 10 min: anyone who takes the wheel is wanted on the spot.