Crime

Overview

The crime system was introduced in inZOI's v0.5.0 update (December 2025) and lets Zois aged Young Adult and older pursue criminal activities including theft, scams, extortion, hacking, and organized crime. Criminal actions build a dedicated Crime Skill (capped at Level 5) and a Crime Score that determines police attention. Getting caught leads to fines, arrest, and potentially prison. The system ties directly into the Karma mechanic: committing crimes lowers Karma, which in turn unlocks progressively more severe criminal interactions.

The March 2026 update (v0.7.0) expanded the crime system further by adding vehicle theft, classifying crop theft as a criminal offense, adjusting extortion rewards and success rates, reducing arrest chances for misdemeanors, and preventing Zois with a scheduled trial from moving to another city.

Prerequisites

Crime interactions are not available to every Zoi from the start. A level-zero crime interaction (the entry point into criminal gameplay) unlocks when a Zoi meets at least one of these conditions:

Once any of these conditions is met, basic theft and scam options appear in the interaction menu. Criminal interactions are marked with red icons in the action wheel. Further criminal interactions unlock as the Crime Skill increases through repeated offenses.

Crime Skill Progression

Crime actions build a dedicated Crime Skill that progresses from Level 0 to Level 5 (the current cap). Each level unlocks new criminal interactions and improves success rates for existing ones. Based on player testing, reaching Level 5 from scratch takes roughly 13 to 14 hours of in-game time with consistent criminal activity. The skill levels up through repeated criminal activity, and certain interactions provide more experience than others.

The following table shows what unlocks at each Crime Skill level and which supporting skills are required:

Starter Crimes

Before tackling high-risk jobs, new criminals can build their Crime Skill through low-stakes activities available at Crime Skill Level 0 and Level 1:

These petty crimes carry minimal risk but give enough Crime Skill experience to unlock more advanced interactions. The key to avoiding arrest at this stage is making sure no other Zoi is watching closely when the crime is committed.

Theft Interactions

Theft actions target physical property and security systems. Success depends on physical and technical skills. Most theft interactions become available at Crime Skill Level 2 and above, when break-in actions unlock.

Lockpicks can be purchased from the Dark Mew market (unlocked at Crime Skill Level 2) for 100 Meow each. Always sabotage cameras before attempting a break-in. Tripping an alarm or being recorded on camera dramatically increases Crime Score and the chance of immediate arrest.

Scam Interactions

Scams use social manipulation to deceive other Zois. Success depends on communication and analytical skills. Higher Rhetoric levels significantly improve success rates for all scam interactions.

Voice phishing (available at Crime Skill Level 5) is the most profitable scam interaction in the game, but it requires a computer and has a 6-hour cooldown between attempts. Scam investors (Level 4) offers the best time-to-reward ratio at roughly 4 minutes per attempt.

Hacking

Zois with sufficient Programming skill and Bad or worse Karma can hack financial infrastructure for direct cash. There are two hacking targets, each with different requirements and risks:

ATM hacking is accessed by walking up to an ATM in the world (ATMs are found in both Dowon and Bliss Bay). After initiating the hack, an event popup asks the player to choose between continuing or aborting. Aborting carries no consequences. Continuing the hack risks failure, which can result in electrocution (one of the death types in inZOI) or arrest by police. The 250 Meow payout is generally not worth the lethal risk; players should save before attempting this interaction.

Bank hacking is performed from any computer via the "Hack into Bank" skill action. It requires Programming Level 10, making it one of the most skill-intensive criminal activities. The payout of 1,000 Meow on success is modest for the investment, and failure costs 500 Meow plus a fine. There are no physical bank robberies in inZOI; only digital hacking methods are available.

Extortion

At Bad Karma level, Zois unlock the Extort interaction. This lets them demand money from other Zois, including police officers. Extortion pays roughly 3,000 Meow per successful attempt. The interaction carries heavy relationship penalties with the target and can trigger immediate arrest if the target resists or witnesses report the crime.

Attempting to extort a police officer almost always results in arrest on the spot. The v0.7.0 update adjusted the rewards and success rate of the Extort interaction, though the specific changes were not detailed in the patch notes. In general, extortion is best reserved for Zois who already have low Karma and do not care about maintaining social standing.

Vehicle Theft

The March 2026 update (v0.7.0) introduced vehicle theft as a new crime category. Zois can now steal any car parked in the city and drive it around freely. However, this constitutes theft, and Zois risk arrest if caught by police. The update also added a map overlay with red dots indicating the location of every vehicle in each city, making it easier to find cars to steal.

Stealing a vehicle is not guaranteed to succeed. When attempting to break into a car, the Zoi may fail and trigger the vehicle's alarm at random. A triggered alarm draws police attention and can lead to immediate arrest. The update also introduced family-exclusive parking spaces for certain residential properties, and newly purchased vehicles automatically park in these spaces. This means that some cars are more difficult to access than others.

Crop Theft

As of the v0.7.0 update, stealing crops belonging to other Zois now counts as theft. Prior to this change, taking crops from another Zoi's garden or farm had no criminal consequences. With this adjustment, agricultural items fall under the existing theft crime system, and players who harvest crops from other Zois' properties will see their Crime Score increase accordingly.

Break-In Intelligence and the Suspicious Job Agency

The Suspicious Job Agency is a bulletin board system that provides structured criminal opportunities. It serves as the primary progression path for criminal gameplay, offering clear objectives rather than freeform crime. Through the agency, Zois can purchase break-in intelligence at three tiers, each scaling in cost, risk, and reward:

High-tier bank jobs are the most profitable criminal activity in the game, but they are also the most dangerous. Camera sabotage and vault interactions have roughly a 40 to 50 percent failure rate, and a failed attempt can result in heavy fines and arrest. Zois can also register fake break-in information through the agency, which becomes available at Crime Skill Level 3 for low-tier and Level 5 for high-tier (the latter requires Critical Thinking Level 5).

Dark Mew Market

At Crime Skill Level 2, Zois gain access to the Dark Mew market, a black-market shop where they can purchase lockpicks for 100 Meow each. Lockpicks are required for the Pick Door Lock interaction and are consumed on use. The Dark Mew market is the only source of lockpicks in the game.

Crime Score and Consequences

How Crime Score Works

Every criminal act adds to a Zoi's Crime Score, which is separate from Karma (though criminal actions also lower Karma). The Crime Score determines the severity of police response:

Wanted Status

Zois who successfully escape the scene of a crime are placed under a Wanted Notice that lasts for one in-game day. During this period, the Zoi will be arrested if they encounter any police officer. The Wanted Status is indicated on the Zoi's profile panel. Once the 24-hour period ends, the Wanted Status clears, though the accumulated Crime Score remains.

Crime and Karma

Criminal activity lowers a Zoi's Karma. Low Karma causes other Zois to avoid the character and spread rumors about them. Severely low Karma can damage relationships, harm career prospects, and affect the Zoi's afterlife destination. The relationship between Crime Score and Karma is one-directional: crimes always lower Karma, and low Karma unlocks more severe criminal interactions (such as extortion and ATM hacking), creating a feedback loop where criminal behavior encourages further criminal behavior.

Misdemeanor Adjustment (v0.7.0)

The March 2026 update reduced the chances of being arrested for misdemeanors, making minor offenses less punitive overall. This means petty crimes like snack theft and vending machine coin swipes are less likely to result in arrest than before, though they still raise Crime Score.

Arrest and Bail

When a Zoi's Crime Score crosses the arrest threshold, police will detain them on sight. The arrest process works as follows:

1. The Zoi is taken into police custody and changed into an orange jumpsuit.

2. A trial date is scheduled automatically.

3. The Zoi can post bail to be released temporarily and prepare for the trial.

4. Zois who do not post bail remain in a detention center until the trial begins.

Posting bail is strongly recommended because it gives the Zoi time to complete trial preparation missions, which directly influence the trial outcome. A Zoi who remains in custody until the trial has far fewer options to prepare a defense. As of v0.7.0, Zois with a scheduled trial can no longer move to another city, preventing players from circumventing legal proceedings by relocating.

Trial System

The trial system determines the final penalty for arrested Zois. After posting bail, the Zoi receives a trial preparation mission. During the preparation phase, players can gather evidence, speak with witnesses, and hire a lawyer. The quality of preparation directly affects the trial outcome.

Lawyers

Trial Outcomes

During the trial itself, opportunity cards appear and the player must choose answers. The quality of preparation and the lawyer's skill determine which cards appear and how favorable the outcomes are. Possible results include:

Guilty verdicts are the most common outcome. Not-guilty verdicts require thorough preparation and, in most cases, an elite lawyer. Players who want to avoid prison time should prioritize posting bail immediately after arrest and investing in the best lawyer they can afford.

Prison

Imprisoned Zois are held in a small cell at the police station. Unlike older versions of the game where jail was a rabbit hole (a location the Zoi would enter without the player being able to see or interact with them), the current version features a fully playable jail cell. The cell contains:

• A bed for sleeping

• A toilet and sink

• A mirror

• Vending machines to prevent starvation

Activities are severely limited during incarceration. Zois sacrifice most of their daily luxuries, routines, and social interactions while in jail. Their clothing is automatically changed to an orange jumpsuit upon arrival. Serving jail time does reduce Crime Score, making it somewhat of a reset for Zois who want to move away from a criminal lifestyle.

Release

Zois are released automatically at 9:00 AM the next day. Players can also manually select "Get out of Jail" on their Zoi at any time after 4:00 AM for an early release. Upon release, the Zoi's clothing returns to normal.

Escape

Jail escape is possible through a wall-scratch method. Look for a vulnerable spot on the cell wall, usually between the bed and sink or between the table and bed. The crack is small and easy to miss, so players should rotate the camera carefully to find it. Once located, repeatedly interact with the crack to scratch at it. The crack does not visibly grow larger during the process; after enough scratching attempts (which can take a significant amount of time and patience), it suddenly opens into a hole large enough to crawl through.

After escaping through the hole, change clothing immediately to avoid being recognized by police. Escaping jail does not clear Crime Score or Karma, so the Zoi can be re-arrested if police encounter them afterward. The escape method relies on patience rather than any specific character stats.

Criminal Careers

Two formal criminal career paths are available for Zois who want crime as a full-time profession. Both are rabbit-hole jobs, meaning the Zoi boards a taxi and disappears to work rather than being playable at the workplace. These careers are available to Young Adult, Adult, and Middle-Aged Zois.

Salary and Schedule

Both criminal careers offer the highest salaries in the game at Boss rank (2,169 Meow per pay cycle), surpassing all legitimate career paths. The Street Soldier line is exclusive to Dowon, while the Gangster line is exclusive to Bliss Bay. Zois must live in the corresponding city to apply. Each household can have a maximum of 6 Zois employed in the Gangster Rookie position.

Security Systems

Properties and businesses may have security features that increase the difficulty of theft:

Always sabotage cameras before attempting a break-in. Being recorded on camera dramatically increases Crime Score and the chance of immediate arrest. However, given the high failure rate of camera sabotage, even experienced criminals should save before attempting high-tier break-ins.

Crime Earnings Reference

The following table summarizes typical payouts, durations, and risk levels for the most common criminal activities. Actual earnings vary based on skill levels and random modifiers.

Tips

• Build Handiwork, Programming, Fitness, and Rhetoric before attempting crimes for higher success rates. Each skill boosts different crime categories.

• Sabotage cameras before attempting any break-in to reduce detection risk, but be aware the sabotage itself has a significant failure rate.

• Crime Skill is capped at Level 5 in the current version. Reaching it from scratch takes roughly 13 to 14 hours of in-game time.

• If arrested, post bail immediately so you can prepare for trial and hire an elite lawyer for the best chance at acquittal.

• Criminal careers offer the highest salaries in the game (2,169 Meow at Boss rank), making them worth pursuing alongside freeform crime.

• The Suspicious Job Agency provides structured opportunities with clear rewards, making it safer than freeform theft. High-tier bank jobs are by far the most profitable crime.

• Start with low-risk crimes (snack theft, vending machines, bag theft) to build Crime Skill before tackling high-tier break-ins.

• Avoid ATM hacking unless necessary; the electrocution risk is not worth the 250 Meow payout. Save your game before attempting it.

• Voice phishing is the most profitable per-attempt scam at 5,020 to 7,789 Meow, but the 30-minute duration and 6-hour cooldown limit daily earnings. Scam investors (Level 4) offers better Meow per minute.

• Escaping from jail does not clear your Crime Score or Karma. Change clothes immediately after escaping and avoid police until the Wanted Status expires.

• As of the March 2026 update, stealing crops from other Zois' gardens counts as theft, so be mindful when gardening near neighbors.

• Vehicle theft can fail and trigger an alarm, so save before attempting to steal a car. The map overlay shows red dots for all vehicles in the city.

• The charity worker impersonation scam (Level 2) has the best risk-to-reward ratio for mid-level criminals, yielding up to 2,712 Meow in about 6 minutes.