Spending the Night in Jail

[DLSpurlock]

Okay, I finally decided to run a sim down the criminal track. The night she would have been promoted to Master Thief, that idiot Hank Goddard arrested her as she entered the warehouse. Not only didn't she get promoted, but the game counted it as a missing work, so she now has TWO more nights to get to the top.

Just when I thought I had seen everything the game could throw at me....

So does anyone know of a way to avoid being arrested? traits, LTW, anything?

Dave

[Metropolis Man]

So does anyone know of a way to avoid being arrested? traits, LTW, anything?

Dave, I'm pretty sure that criminals getting arrested at work is just one of those random things along the lines of being electrocuted by an object. I don't know if something like the Lucky trait would reduce the chance of an arrest happening. I would think there would be nothing you could do to completely eliminate the chance.

[Pam]

I agree with Metro.  I don't know of anything that would keep your Sim from being arrested while at work.  The funny thing about that to me, though, is when the police search your Sim and take something away so the other inmates won't be jealous. 

[jestina]

Lucky trait might help I guess. Do what my Empress of Evil sim did and torture the arresting cop once you are free from prison, helps you relieve some of those frustrations at least.

[Tealeaf]

Serves 'em right for not letting the poor little crimmy sims sleep!

[Swede1992]

That happened to me too once! Ah it's horrible, I could see my enormous mansion from the jail and couldn't stop laughing!!!

[bshag]

I think it was when she was level 6 or 7 in criminal career that my little sim was arrested like 3-4 nights in a row.  I was almost to the point of changing her career and then the arrests stopped.  Now that she is a master thief I'm glad I let her stay in the criminal career...I love all those "trinkets" she gets during her shift at work.   It also helps that she's a klepto.

[Tealeaf]

I had a frustrating one last night.  My sim was at the top of the promotion progression bar, and just about to get off of his shift.  Then he got got popped, thrown in jail, lost job progression because he was missing work, and lost out on getting bumped to the next job level.  Noooo!

[Pam]

I had a frustrating one last night.  My sim was at the top of the promotion progression bar, and just about to get off of his shift.  Then he got got popped, thrown in jail, lost job progression because he was missing work, and lost out on getting bumped to the next job level.  Noooo!

See?  Crime doesn't pay.  Lol!

[Swede1992]

Now he has to wait for his private island; I fear, he may be doomed to only semi-luxury. (A non-literal reference to South Park for people who don't get it )LOL

[sherlockholmes]

Hey guys I have a criminal theif sim (master theif) and he's only been in jail one or two times. He has the lucky trait, and I think that def helps.

Also, I saw a pretty cool glitch. This one time I did get caught and I was on the way to jail. As I got off, my phone rang, and when my guy picked it up he canceled the "go to jail" action, which was like a get out of jail free card. I was pretty stoked after that.

[Swede1992]

Also, I saw a pretty cool glitch. this one time i did get caught and i was on the way 2 jail. as I got off my fone rang, and when my guy picked it up he canceled the "go to jail" action, which was like a get out of jail free card. I was pretty stoked after that.

"Oh, sorry mr Policeman, I just really have take this" *steps out of car and runs like the wind*

[Private Bob4]

Hey, on my criminal Fat Tony, he made friends with Hank, and last time I checked, he was only a traffic cop, though he was only at the fourth or fifth level in the criminal career. So far, I've never been arrested, yet I get invited into peoples houses and steal their things. Maybe making friends with the people in law enforcement stops them?

[Pam]

Hello PrivateBob and welcome!

I don't know about criminals making friends with law enforcement, but I had a family once that kept getting burgularized by the same guy.  Robbie Bland, I think.  After the first time, my Sim invited Robbie over and then was mean to him and had a fight.  He came back at least twice after that.  Then one time, I had my Sim release him instead of letting him go to jail.  He never came back to rob my Sims again!  Lol.

[jestina]

One of my criminals went to jail three times in a row. What a streak of bad luck that was and her job performance took a huge hit of course.

That could possible be the most profitable career path though. You can bring home loads of expensive art work doing side jobs. My sim got two of those Puck's paintings and a huge statue one night at work plus 900 extra in simoleons and of course her paycheck on top of it all.

[TylerDurden]

Also, I saw a pretty cool glitch. this one time i did get caught and i was on the way 2 jail. as I got off my fone rang, and when my guy picked it up he canceled the "go to jail" action, which was like a get out of jail free card. I was pretty stoked after that.

"Oh, sorry mr Policeman, I just really have take this" *steps out of car and runs like the wind*

I always laugh at the burglars just waiting patiently OUTSIDE the police car while the cop inspects your house for stolen loot.  I have NEVER seen that on COPS.

[jestina]

You can go out and release the burglar too. 

I wish someone would do that for my sims when they get busted.

[Eftyen]

My master thief sim has only been arrested once, so far.  I'm not sure if this is more due to her Lucky trait, or the fact that she is an ex-superspy!

[jmz95]

My master thief sim has only been arrested once, so far.  I'm not sure if this is more due to her Lucky trait, or the fact that she is an ex-superspy!

Lol, good cop turned evil criminal! She now works for the organization that she used to raid!

[LivvieLove]

This happened to me once, but only when I tried to find the cop to get payback, I couldn't find her anywhere... she just... vanished.

[Pam]

I think most of the cops that our Sims encounter are considered service Sims (maids, firefighters, burglars, etc.) and they don't have a home in town.  I tried to track down a burglar several times, even following him from my house after he broke in, but it was no good.  You can talk to them and invite them over if you get them on your contact list, but you can't find where they live.

[sherlockholmes]

lucky definitely has something to do with it. i played a casual theif and my rise to master theif took about 4 weeks or so.

during that time i was arrested only once.

[Carl]

One of my criminals went to jail three times in a row. What a streak of bad luck that was and her job performance took a huge hit of course.

That could possible be the most profitable career path though. You can bring home loads of expensive art work doing side jobs. My sim got two of those Puck's paintings and a huge statue one night at work plus 900 extra in simoleons and of course her paycheck on top of it all.

Yeah consider being arrested a risk you take, when they also have the chance of bringing home some valuables as well. I generally used jail time to work on athletics since they need it anyway.

[Swede1992]

I've only been arrested once, and never ever have had any burglars. Maybe I have the lucky trait myself?

[DLSpurlock]

Okay;

I've done a little more trial and error work on this and I think I have it nailed down to one thing. It seems my sim only gets arrested if I select the option "Do a Side Job". So to avoid arrest, don't select that.

Anyone ever see anything different?

Dave

[wildredchild]

Dave, I am not sure I agree with you on this.  I just started working on a criminal sim and when she went to work like normal, she got arrested.  She was NOT doing a side job, so I feel it is completely random as to them getting arrested and spending the night in jail.

[Swede1992]

OK, I can also confirm that you can get arrested even if you work normally. It must be something else...

[samoht04]

I think it is completely random but I think it started at around level 4 for me.

[Twinmum]

Have to put in my 2 cents worth here and say the Lucky trait does not help. I'm currently playing a sim doing the criminal path. He's currently on level 5 and has been arrested 4 or 5 times (once doing a side job). He has the lucky trait, but it doesn't seem to be helping him. Be glad when he gets to the top and can switch careers (he's half of my career grand slam couple).

Norma

[catlover]

Do the Sims who have the klepto trait ever get arrested, or do they have to be in the criminal career for that to happen?

[samoht04]

Do the Sims who have the klepto trait ever get arrested, or do they have to be in the criminal career for that to happen?

Well I think they have to be in Criminal career, my sims didn't get arrested for stealing the Alto's Car and then driving past their house everyday on the way to work! 

[Swede1992]

If the sim who owns the thing you're stealing with the klepto sim sees you, they will throw you out of the house. However, I have never seen them calling the police over it.

[catlover]

Thanks for the response "Sam" and "Swede" ! I'm toying with the idea to switch careers just to change things up a bit, I always play the goody two shoes Sims with good traits and all, but now I am bored and it's time to let my Sims get a taste of life on the other side of the tracks, lol.

[sydney511]

I'm goody two shoes simmer too. Can you see the sims in jail? Can you post a picture of it?

[Pam]

No, you don't get to see them in jail.  You just have a message in the upper left corner that they're in jail and you get to chose what they do while they're locked up, like work out or talk to the other criminals.

[John Allen]

Ok, after playing quite a few Emeperor of Evil and MasterThief sims (aside from the ones I make I have managed to pick quite a few NPC wives who were either evil or Kleptomaniancs), I have seen enough to come up with a conclusion:

-  Yes, I agree, arrests are random.  originally I thought it was on nights I wasn't 100% rested; but it definitely is random.

-  Yesterday I did finally get to see my Sim getting arrested, maybe because of Ambitions?
He was at work and I just happened to click view my sim on him, instead of another sim, the camera panned over right as there was a police cruiser outside of his work (talk about lucky coincidence).  My Sim ran out of the building, to the cop, and got into the squad car. Off to jail for a night of dominos!!!

[AriaGirl77]

I don't know if this has been mentioned previously, but there is one way to get out of jail early.  If your sim's wife goes into labor while he is in jail then he will rush to the hospital to be with her.   

[LivvieLove]

I don't know if this has been mentioned previously, but there is one way to get out of jail early.  If your sim's wife goes into labor while he is in jail then he will rush to the hospital to be with her.   

Hahahaha! I don't know why really, but I found that very funny! That's hilarious actually, "Why should we let you out of jail early Dr. Evil? Do you think you've done enough time?"
"NO! MY WIFE JUST WENT INTO LABOR!"
"Quick get the keys to the cell!"

[MasterSiwel]

Okay, I finally decided to run a sim down the criminal track. The night she would have been promoted to Master Thief, that idiot Hank Goddard arrested her as she entered the warehouse. Not only didn't she get promoted, but the game counted it as a missing work, so she now has TWO more nights to get to the top.

Just when I thought I had seen everything the game could throw at me....

So does anyone know of a way to avoid being arrested? traits, LTW, anything?

Dave

Sadly there is only one way... With science of course! Nah, there's really no way to avoid getting caught (at least not to my knowladge).

[chihuahua0]

Hahahaha! I don't know why really, but I found that very funny! That's hilarious actually, "Why should we let you out of jail early Dr. Evil? Do you think you've done enough time?"
"NO! MY WIFE JUST WENT INTO LABOR!"
"Quick get the keys to the cell!"

Sorry for the necro, but this is very funny!

[Leto85]

If the sim who owns the thing you're stealing with the klepto sim sees you, they will throw you out of the house. However, I have never seen them calling the police over it.

Unless your sim has the 'inappropriate but in a good way' LTH reward, right?

[Chsharpe]

I don't know if anyone has said this yet but if you make your sims leave work early when you see a police officer you won't get arrested and then you send them back to work when the police are gone.

[RubyLovesSims]

I don't know if anyone has said this yet but if you make your sims leave work early when you see a police officer you won't get arrested and then you send them back to work when the police are gone.

But wouldn't that decrease the performance bar?

[malteser60]

But wouldn't that decrease the performance bar?

It would decrease the performance bar, but I guess doing that will depend on how close you are to promotion and will spending the night in jail be a huge disruption.

[folcon]

Just to point out, I think a higher Athletic skill reduces the chances of your sims getting arrested.

[Leto85]

Just to point out, I think a higher Athletic skill reduces the chances of your sims getting arrested.

Although it sounds logical what you've said, it all depends on if someone see's you while stealing stuff.

[Hosfac]

I don't know if something like the Lucky trait would reduce the chance of an arrest happening.

Don't I wish.  My new IDC founder is in the criminal career, has the lucky trait, and was arrested twice before getting to level 3 in the career track. 

[LucreziaBorgia]

Since the introduction of celebrities I find it impossible to play the criminal with all those negative moodlets from getting caught or rumors.
The only answer to your original post would be the LWR Vacationer, but the reward comes with some negative points. Proffesional Slacker is another option.

[Hosfac]

Higher athletics skill doesn't help at all.  My immortal dynasty founder has long since SuperMaxed it (she was half way to elder when she did) and still gets arrested at least every other week.  Neither does having the lucky trait, because as I said previously, she's had it since day one.  Likewise she has never selected the "Do a Side Job" option for work (only ever "Conspire with Accomplices" and "Suck up to Boss"), and has been arrested more than a dozen times since she started, and even got arrested after she hit level 10 in her career.

Edit:  And she's a 4 star celebrity.  I feel your pain. 

The higher in their career they get, the more often they bring home loot...and the more expensive that loot seems to get (I may be wrong on the last part).  Getting arrested on occasion is just one of those unavoidable, random occurrences like when doctors and police officers have to go back to work in the middle of the night for an emergency, and end up going to work the next day with their energy bar in the red.  I think any theorizing on how to minimize it is wishful thinking.

[Chuckles_82]

Going back to work after the police had left didn't work for me She went in to work, then promptly left again and turned herself in. She caught a cab to the police station I'm yet to find out if she will do this if I don't send her back to work.

[fortheloveofcake]

I'm doing an experiment to see if traits have any effect on getting arrested while in the criminal career, I will post the results here in the next few days.

[Leto85]

I'm doing an experiment to see if traits have any effect on getting arrested while in the criminal career, I will post the results here in the next few days.

That's interesting. Perhaps you could try the Lucky and Unlucky trait first. I wouldn't be surprised if those will have an influence. Absent Minded may be effective too, say it negatively for the sim.

[fortheloveofcake]

I made a family with 8 sims, all with 4 traits that won't really influence the criminal career (excitable, dramatic, easily impressed, and neurotic). I gave two sims the evil trait, two the good trait, two the lucky trait, and two the unlucky trait. I have made needs static so that the only different factor between the sims is the trait they have.
I am going to play until all 8 sims have reached level 10 of the thief branch.
I am about halfway done, and have also come up with some info about the athletics skill challenges that I don't think I have read about on this forum or any other before.
Results soon to come.