Stealing is an optional activity in Starfield, allowing players to illegally obtain weapons, edibles, spacesuits, and other valuables. However, as a Bethesda title, the game does not do a good job of teaching players how to rob innocent people or pocket rare items they come across throughout the galaxy. This Starfield guide, however, addresses this gap with detailed instructions on the art of stealing and selling illicit goods without getting caught.
How to Steal in Starfield
To steal an unowned item, players must press the interact button next to it while no one is watching. Unowned objects are identified by red markers next to their names, indicating they belong to someone else.
The process of stealing is similar to looting, with the distinction being the potential risk of getting caught. If an NPC catches players in the act of robbery, they will notify the authorities and place a bounty on them.
How to Pickpocket
Players can pickpocket in Starfield after they unlock the Theft skill. Once this perk is accessible, they can stealthily approach NPCs from behind and steal items from their pockets. The pick-pocketing HUD uses colors and percentages to indicate the difficulty level of stealing each item, with higher percentages implying harder thefts.
How to Steal without Getting Caught
To remain undetected while stealing, equip the Stealth perk. This skill will display a detection meter on the screen, indicating the likelihood of being caught. It is safe to steal any item while the detection gauge shows “Hidden.” However, players must avoid pocketing items when it says “Detected.”
How to Sell Stolen Items
Since pilfered objects are illicit, only a handful of vendors are willing to buy them. Players who would like to trade stolen items will need to talk to neutral sellers located at Trade Authorities. These merchants often pay a higher price for Contrabands and will let players remove the stolen status from them.
How to Remove the Stolen Status
Stolen Status is a red marker that appears next to illegal items. To remove this mark, players will first need to trade that object with a Trade Authority and then buy it back at a higher price. Although this process requires additional Credits, it is an ideal way to retain valuable Contrabands that would otherwise pose security issues.
The Consequences of Getting Caught While Stealing
Depending on the significance of the stolen item, the victims may take different actions, such as reclaiming the object or reporting the incident to the authorities. In such cases, players are typically presented with two choices by the authorities: either pay the bounty fee and restart from jail or engage in a confrontation and escape.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.