Stealing cars in GTA VI will be more involved: alarms, GPS and cloned keys
Vehicle theft is no longer an automatic action: cars have different protections, entry tools and information worth checking before making a move.
Stealing a car is no longer one button press
The Extended Look shows Jason beside a parked vehicle with two different entry options: use a Slim Jim to work the lock or smash the window. The first requires a tool and a little more time; the second is immediate but creates noise, damage and obvious evidence.
That choice turns an automatic action from earlier games into a risk decision. In a quiet area it may be worth working the lock. If police are already close, breaking the glass gets the car moving sooner, although the getaway begins with a more compromised vehicle.
Vehicle security will vary
The footage and press previews indicate that older cars will be easier to open, while expensive or modern models may need specialised equipment. Key-cloning tools are among those mentioned, suggesting that a car's value will be linked to the difficulty of stealing it.
That introduces material progression: finding a supercar does not guarantee the player can take it. They may need to acquire tools, accept a more aggressive method or look for a less protected vehicle when an urgent escape matters more than value.
WAINK turns theft into a small investigation
The WAINK application presents vehicle information before the player acts: estimated value, registration cost, lock type, alarm and GPS tracker. That lets players distinguish a profitable target from one that will attract too much attention or require more investment to keep.
The registration cost also suggests that not every stolen vehicle will automatically enter the personal garage. There may be a distinction between temporary use, selling a car and legalising it for regular use, although Rockstar has not yet detailed the full process.
Alarms, GPS and evidence after the theft
Getting inside is only the first part. An alarm can alert nearby witnesses and a tracker can keep the car marked after it leaves the scene. The presentation also shows police recording the vehicle linked to an offence, so switching or disposing of it may be necessary to end a pursuit.
The safest conclusion is that GTA VI wants to extend the theft chain: locate, assess, enter, escape and decide what to do with the car. We do not yet know whether every phase applies to every vehicle, but the interface and demonstrations confirm a much deeper system than GTA V's.
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