How to steal in Crimson Desert

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Stealing explained
Consequences of stealing
Where to get a mask
Where to sell stolen goods

If you want to steal in Crimson Desert, you're going to have to dress for the part first. As, unless you equip a mask, the 'steal' button will remain grayed out, forever tempting you with what you could have if only your lower face wasn't so exposed. You also need a mask to pickpocket in Crimson Desert. So as you can see, it's handy to locate a mask as soon as you can, to stop any backtracking should you come across something you can only have if you steal/pickpocket it.

Stealing does have consequences, however, and stolen goods can only be sold at select locations in Crimson Desert, so it's not the easy hack to the life of riches it may seem like at first. To help you understand everything about stealing, this guide explains exactly how to steal, the consequences of stealing, the easiest ways to get a mask, and where to sell your stolen goods.

Stealing in Crimson Desert explained

You need to equip a mask before you can steal anything in Crimson Desert. We go into far more detail below on where to find a mask, but in short, you can get a mask real quickly if you visit Grimrak in the Back Alley Shop located just southeast of Hernand Town. A mask only costs 10 copper here, so unless you went on a spending spree recently, you'll have enough to buy it.

With a mask acquired, you can either go to the inventory tab from the main menu to equip it, or bring up the shortcut wheel and toggle the mask on from there. Be careful where you put on a mask, though, as looking so suspicious inevitably draws the attention of others. That said, you have to equip a mask before the grayed out 'steal' button becomes available, so you gotta do what you gotta do for some free items when the time comes.

You don't have to resort to a life of crime to make ends meet. Find out how about how to farm money in Crimson Desert, all above the law!

To bring up the 'steal' prompt with the mask equipped, look at the item you want to take, then hold down the button you use to zoom in and focus/observe – this is L1/LB if playing on a PlayStation or Xbox controller. You can also do this when behind somebody to steal something they're carrying, or after bumping into someone to pickpicket in search of smaller loot, like money.

Consequences of stealing

Even if nobody sees you, you always lose EXP for the region you're currently in if you steal something in Crimson Desert. It's always been -5 EXP when we've nabbed a single item, but it's possible this number may be higher if you decide steal something really big, or from someone important.

The next consequence of stealing depends on if you're caught or not. If you steal and nobody sees you, simply walk out of the red circle that appears and enjoy your newfound stolen goods. But if somebody does see, you'll have to hightail it out of the red circle without being spotted by a guard, if you don't want to get caught and fined a bounty. If you don't pay the fine at this point, you'll be tossed in jail and made to pay even more money.

Where to get a mask in Crimson Desert

There are three easy ways to get a mask in Crimson Desert:

Purchase from the Back Alley Shop in Hernand (and others around the map)
Complete the 'Jeffrey' Bounty Notice
Loot from bandits

Before seeking one elsewhere, if you've already engaged in a bit of combat, it's worth checking your inventory to see if a mask may be there already, as you might have picked it up after looting a few bandits. If not, the next easiest way to get a mask is to pay a visit to Grimrak's Back Alley Shop. This is located just southeast of Hernand town, at the end of the main road closest to the river.

Alternatively, you can pick up the tutorial 'Jeffrey' Bounty Notice from the Constabulary, located in the very northwestern tip of Hernand town. Speak to Pedro beside the bounty notice pinned to the entrance post of the Constabulary, follow the quest marker, apprehend Jeffrey by tackling and tying him up, then bring Jeffrey back to the Constabulary to complete the bounty and get your free mask.

Where to sell stolen goods in Crimson Desert

You need to visit a Black Market vendor to sell your stolen goods in Crimson Desert. Fortunately, there's one in the starting area of Harnand: our good friend Grimrak. As a reminder, you can find Grimrak's very humble pop-up shop at the end of the road closest to the river, just southeast of Hernand town. Later on in the game, you can also sell your stolen items via Black Market vendors at Goldleaf Tradeposts.

However, if you've stolen an animal, you'll need to take it to a Livestock Fence to sell instead. Make sure you're actively carrying or riding the animal in order to sell it. The earliest Livestock Fence is located opposite Grimrak at the end of the path just southeast of Harnand town. This little corner sure does enjoy its dodgy activities, huh? All the better for Kliff's coinpurse, I guess.