Car Theft

Overview

Car Theft is a crime mechanic introduced in the March 2026 Update (v0.7.0) that allows Zois to break into and steal vehicles parked throughout the city. The feature expands the existing crime system by adding a new high-stakes criminal action with real consequences, including arrest, a trial, and potential jail time. The community quickly nicknamed the v0.7.0 patch the "GTA 6 Update" because it shipped car theft mechanics in a life simulation game before the actual Grand Theft Auto VI had released.

Vehicle theft is classified as a serious offense rather than a misdemeanor. Unlike petty crimes such as stealing coins from parking meters or swiping bags, grand theft auto carries a high risk of arrest and significant Crime Score penalties. Zois who want to pursue this path should be prepared for the legal consequences that follow.

How Car Theft Works

Stealing a car in inZOI is a multi-step process that depends on your Zoi's Crime Skill level and a bit of luck. Here is how it works in practice:

1. Locate a vehicle. Open the city map and look for red dots, which indicate parked vehicles throughout the city. This map overlay was added alongside the car theft feature to help players find potential targets.

2. Approach the vehicle. Walk your Zoi up to any parked car on the street. Not every vehicle can be stolen; only certain cars around the world are eligible for break-in attempts.

3. Attempt the break-in. Initiate the theft interaction. The game calculates a success rate based on your Zoi's Crime Skill level. Higher Crime Skill means a better chance of getting in cleanly.

4. Success or failure. If the attempt succeeds, your Zoi hops in and can drive the stolen car freely around the city. If it fails, the car alarm triggers, drawing attention from nearby Zois and potentially alerting the police.

Once inside, a stolen vehicle handles exactly like any car your Zoi already owns. You can drive it across the city, park it, and use it for transportation just like a personal vehicle. For general information about operating vehicles, see the Driving and Vehicles article.

Requirements and Success Rates

Car theft does not have a strict Crime Skill level requirement to attempt, but the success rate scales directly with your Zoi's Crime Skill. The Crime Skill caps at Level 5 and improves through repeated criminal actions such as scams, theft, extortion, and break-ins.

Complementary skills like Handiwork may also play a role, since Handiwork governs lock-picking and other manual theft interactions in the broader crime system. However, the primary factor for vehicle theft remains the Crime Skill itself.

Consequences

Stealing a car is not a victimless action. The game treats vehicle theft as a serious crime with a full chain of consequences that mirror the existing justice system.

Witnesses and Detection

Other Zois in the area can witness a car theft in progress. If they see your Zoi breaking into or driving away in a stolen vehicle, they may report the crime. Even a successful break-in can lead to arrest if someone nearby spots what happened. Failed attempts are especially risky because the car alarm draws attention from anyone in the vicinity.

Arrest

Police can arrest a Zoi for grand theft auto. An arrest happens in one of two ways: officers may catch the Zoi at the scene, or a witness report leads to the Zoi being picked up later. Once arrested, the Zoi enters the legal system and faces a scheduled trial.

Trial

After an arrest, a trial date is set. While awaiting trial, the Zoi cannot travel to other cities. This restriction was added in v0.7.0 to prevent accused Zois from fleeing jurisdiction. If the Zoi posts bail, they can move around their current city freely until the trial begins. During the trial, opportunity cards appear; choosing the correct responses can reduce the sentence. Zois can also appoint a lawyer to improve their odds. For full details on how trials work, see Trial and Justice System.

Prison

A guilty verdict results in jail time. Standard sentences last approximately 24 in-game hours, though the exact duration depends on the severity of the crime and the trial outcome. Jail in inZOI is a playable space with a bed, toilet, sink, mirror, vending machine, and water cooler. The Zoi retains phone access while incarcerated. For more on what happens behind bars, see Prison and Jail.

Crime Score

Every criminal action in inZOI contributes to the Zoi's Crime Score. Vehicle theft adds a significant amount to this total. A high Crime Score increases police attention and makes future encounters with law enforcement more likely. The Crime Score is tracked separately from Karma, though criminal behavior also lowers Karma over time.

Crime System Context

Car theft is one piece of a broader crime overhaul that arrived in the v0.7.0 update. The same patch introduced several other crime-related changes that affect the overall criminal experience.

The crime system in inZOI was originally introduced in the v0.5.0 Holiday Update (December 2025), which added the foundational mechanics: theft, scams, extortion, the Crime Skill, arrest, trial, and jail. The v0.7.0 update builds on that foundation by adding vehicle theft as a new crime type and refining existing consequences. For a full breakdown of all criminal activities, see the Crime article.

Vehicle Map Markers

To support the new feature, the developers added a vehicle tracking layer to the city map. When you open the map, red dots now appear to indicate the location of every vehicle in the city. This works across all three playable cities: Dowon, Bliss Bay, and Cahaya. The markers make it easy to spot potential targets without driving around aimlessly, though they also show vehicles that belong to your own household.

Tips and Strategies

• Level up Crime Skill first. Attempting car theft with a low Crime Skill leads to frequent failures and car alarms. Build your Crime Skill through lower-risk activities like stealing coins from machines or running scams before graduating to vehicle theft.

• Check for witnesses. Before initiating a break-in, look around the area. If other Zois are standing nearby or walking past, wait for them to move on. Witnesses are the most common reason thieves get caught.

• Use the map markers. The red dots on the city map show every available vehicle. Look for cars in quieter neighborhoods or side streets where foot traffic is lower.

• Have bail money ready. If you plan to steal cars regularly, keep enough Mew on hand to post bail after an arrest. This lets your Zoi stay free in the city while awaiting trial instead of sitting in a cell.

• Avoid hitting pedestrians. Driving recklessly in a stolen car can compound your problems. During developer playtests, a Zoi who stole a car and then hit a pedestrian was immediately sentenced to jail with a one-day sentence requiring prison labor.

• Do not flee to another city. As of v0.7.0, Zois scheduled for trial cannot travel to other cities. Trying to run will not work, so it is better to prepare for the trial by gathering evidence and hiring a good lawyer.

Community Reception

The addition of car theft to a life simulation game caught the community off guard. Players quickly began calling v0.7.0 the "GTA 6 Update," noting the irony that inZOI shipped a grand theft auto mechanic before the actual GTA VI had released. The feature became one of the most discussed parts of the Anniversary Update alongside new business types like florist shops and cinemas. Many players praised the feature for adding depth to criminal playthroughs, while others found humor in their Zois' inevitable arrests after clumsy theft attempts.

Version History

Crime Skill and Success Rates

There is no strict Crime Skill level requirement to attempt a theft, but the success rate scales directly with your Zoi's Crime Skill. The Crime Skill caps at Level 5 and improves through repeated criminal actions such as scams, theft, extortion, and break-ins.

NPC Car Theft

Car theft is not exclusive to player-controlled Zois. NPCs may also steal the player's parked car if it is left unattended in public areas. This adds an element of risk to parking your vehicle in high-traffic or high-crime neighborhoods. Keep your car in a garage or private lot to minimize the chance of NPC theft.