How to Find and Stop Burglars in The Sims 4: A Complete Guide

After much anticipation, burglars have made their return to The Sims 4, courtesy of a free update! These notorious characters have provided a level of mischief since the days of The Sims 1, and their absence in the newer version was felt by many Simmers.

Now you can encounter the infamous burglar, Robin Banks, directly—whether through confrontation or by hiding and waiting for the police. There are numerous strategies to either lure burglars to your lot or stop them entirely. Here's how to effectively deal with burglars in The Sims 4.

How to find a burglar in The Sims 4

Before you can confront a burglar, you first need to locate one on your property. If you're curious or more adventurous, there are several methods to boost your odds of encountering a burglar.

Step 1: To increase the likelihood of a burglar showing up, consider using the Lot Challenge Heist Havoc. You can activate this challenge in Build/Buy mode by clicking the house icon in the upper left corner, then navigating to the tab marked with a question mark for Lot Traits and Challenges.

The Heist Havoc challenge enhances the frequency of burglar appearances on your lot while also making your burglar alarms less reliable. This means that, if Robin Banks does decide to visit, you might have to handle the situation yourself!

Step 2: If you prefer not to use that Lot Challenge and don’t want to just wait idly, you can summon a burglar using cheats. To do this, first enable cheats by pressing Shift + Ctrl + C, then type 'testingcheats true'.

With cheats active, hold the Shift key and click on your mailbox. You’ll see an option to 'Schedule Burglar Visit (Debug).' Once you select this, a burglar will visit your lot during night time.

How to stop the burglar in The Sims 4

If a burglar arrives at your home and you’re wondering how to chase them off, you have several options to consider. Additionally, there’s a way to completely prevent burglars from appearing if you’d rather not deal with them at all.

Step 1: The most straightforward and affordable method to deter a burglar is to install an alarm system. The Alertz Burglar Alarm can be found in Build/Buy mode alongside the fire alarms and thermostats. Priced at just 85 Simoleons, placing it near your front door will trigger the loud sound when a burglar attempts to break in.

This alarm wakes your household and scares off the burglar, ensuring your possessions remain safe. Don’t forget—if you have both front and back entrances, set up alarms for both!

Step 2: If you don't have an alarm at your disposal, your Sim has three main options when faced with a burglar. You can choose to fight, though this may negatively impact your relationship with Robin Banks. Alternatively, you can try to confront them directly, but this typically won't deter the burglar. Lastly, you can call the police; however, their response time isn’t quick, so if you want to prevent the burglar from escaping with stolen items, engaging them directly is often a better choice.

Step 3: Fortunately, if you own specific DLCs, there are various additional ways to deal with burglars. Certain Game and Expansion Packs introduce unique interactions that can assist in these situations. Here’s a rundown of special Sim interactions based on your packs:

• Dogs will fiercely chase off burglars. (Requires: The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs Expansion Pack)
• Werewolves can intimidate burglars into fleeing. (Requires: The Sims 4 Werewolves Game Pack)
• Spellcasters have access to a variety of spells for confusion and transformation. (Requires: The Sims 4 Realm of Magic Game Pack)
• Servos can immobilize burglars using their defense matrix. (Requires: The Sims 4 Discover University Expansion Pack)
• Scientists can use the Freeze Ray to stop burglars in their tracks. (Requires: The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack)
• Vampires can capitalize on the situation for a quick snack before sending burglars away. (Requires: The Sims 4 Vampires Game Pack)

Step 4: For those who would prefer to avoid burglars altogether, you have the option to disable them. Navigate to Game Options, and under Gameplay, look for the 'Allow Burglar Visits' toggle. After making your choice, just apply the changes and you’re all set.