Grand Theft Auto uses Nerve and, at higher tiers, Focus to attempt vehicle thefts. Successful attempts add a vehicle to your Garage rather than paying immediate cash.
| Tier | Player level | Crime Rank | Nerve | Focus | Base cooldown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 minute |
| Motorcycle | 15 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 2 minutes |
| Coupe | 19 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 2.5 minutes |
| Touring Car | 23 | 10 | 20 | 2 | 5 minutes |
| Roadster | 27 | 15 | 25 | 5 | 10 minutes |
| Limousine | 30 | 20 | 30 | 10 | 15 minutes |
Both player-level and Crime Rank requirements apply. Crime Rank is Crime Level minus one. The displayed tier list reflects applicable chance and Heat modifiers; the table above contains base requirements and cooldowns.
A success selects a vehicle from the tier's catalog. Vehicles can arrive damaged, which affects assessed value. Racing skill helps reduce the theft damage roll. Applicable upgrades also influence the activity.
A failed attempt still consumes resources and starts cooldowns. Failure grants reduced Crime XP and adds Heat. Critical failure can send you to jail; its base sentence is twice the tier's base cooldown before applicable duration reductions.
There is a tier cooldown and a separate two-minute global GTA cooldown. Moving to a different tier does not bypass an active global cooldown.
Inspect the vehicle in your Garage before deciding whether to keep, use or sell it. Selling realizes its damage-adjusted value and can involve applicable family-tax or default-debt deductions.
A Wheelman can attempt thefts under a paid contract. Its additional damage surcharge is a separate automation trade-off; your Racing skill does not cancel that surcharge. Check the Workers guide before comparing automated and manual returns.
Mechanics checked against the game code on 17 September 2026.