How to steal cars in GTA 6

In GTA 6 you can't take every parked car with one button anymore. Older cars open with a slim jim or a broken window. Newer and high-end cars need a key cloner you get later, and many carry a tracker. Scan a car with the WAINK phone app first to see what it needs.

Last checked 2026-10-21 by Meugui_ · every fact below is labeled with how we know it

  • Rockstar dev13
  • Seen in preview8

How car theft works now

  • Rob Nelson, co-studio head of Rockstar North, says Rockstar added "layers of stratification" to cars: at the start, some parked cars stay out of reach until you progress in the story and get the tools to open them.

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  • Older cars open with a lock tool such as a slim jim. Newer and luxury cars need a key cloner, a device that copies the electronic key, and you only get it later in the game.

    Rockstar dev3

  • Smashing a window gets you inside, but it sets off the alarm. Some cars still won't start without the key cloner even once you're in.

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  • Not every car is locked: some are already open or have the keys inside.

    Seen in preview4

  • Picking a lock quietly is a short stick minigame, and other tools such as a crowbar have their own animations.

    Seen in preview5

How to steal a parked car, step by step

  1. Scan the car with the WAINK phone app. It shows whether it's locked, whether it has an alarm or a tracker, what it's worth and what it costs to register as yours.

    Rockstar dev23

  2. Make sure you carry the tool it needs. Theft tools such as the key cloner unlock through jobs for fences.

    Seen in preview67

  3. On newer and luxury cars, clone the key to get in. Breaking the glass works too, but it triggers the alarm.

    Rockstar dev3

  4. If the car has a high-end tracker, keep your speed up: drive slowly for too long and it sends your position to the police.

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  5. Then sell it, keep it or ditch it. Some cars can't be sold right away, and those you'll have to leave. See how to sell cars and how to keep one in a garage.

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Can you steal a supercar early?

  • Yes, if you find one and carry the right tool. Nelson told Flow Games that a supercar parked in Vice Beach can be taken at any point in the story: the limit is your equipment, not your progress.

    Seen in preview4

  • Expect a fight with the security: high-end cars are very likely to have an alarm and an advanced tracker. See every confirmed GTA 6 super car.

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  • Registering a high-end car as your own isn't possible early in the game, even if you manage to steal one.

    Seen in preview67

Carjacking a car on the road

  • Cars with a driver in them can still be taken without any tool: pull the driver out at a light or a stop sign. The car can still carry a tracker that leads the police to you.

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  • Sometimes shouting at the driver to get out is enough. Sometimes they refuse, and some will shoot at you.

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  • Pulling the driver out is a quick-time event, and passengers can fight back and try to drag you out again.

    Seen in preview6

Where you can't steal cars

  • The area around your safehouses is a safe zone, and some story locations are protected too. Nelson's example: you can't steal cars outside Dre'Quan's club, because it's a friend's business.

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Police, alarms and trackers

  • The owner may report the theft. Police then search for you by your clothes, your appearance and the car you're driving. Rockstar calls this state Heat.

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  • Changing the car's color at a Pay 'n' Spray helps you stop matching the description.

    Rockstar dev3

  • Every police car has a tracker, so a cop car makes a poor getaway. Its trunk can hold body armor and an assault rifle, though.

    Seen in preview68

  • Stolen cars don't come with a full tank. In one demo run Nelson stole a car while fleeing the police, and it ran out of gas before he got away. More in the fuel guide.

    Seen in preview4

Not confirmed yet

  • How many security tiers there are. Rockstar hasn't given a number.
  • Which fence unlocks the key cloner, and at what point in the story.
  • How slow is too slow for a tracker, and how long you have before it reports you.

What we test on November 19

  • The security tier and tool needed for each car, added to its vehicle pagePending test
  • The order in which theft tools unlockPending test
  • What sets off a tracker, measured in speed and timePending test

Sources

  1. IGN, car theft explained
  2. Kotaku
  3. Famitsu, Rob Nelson interview
  4. Flow Games preview (via GTAVice)
  5. El Rubius preview (via TechWiser)
  6. Vice, preview details
  7. Red Bull, gameplay details
  8. Creator previews (via GTAVice)

Questions

Can you still steal any car in GTA 6?

Not at the start. Parked cars have different security levels, and the best-protected ones need a key cloner that you get later in the story. Cars with a driver inside can still be carjacked at any time.

What is the WAINK app in GTA 6?

WAINK is a phone app that scans a car before you steal it. It shows whether the car is locked, whether it has an alarm or a tracker, what it is worth and what it costs to register.

How do you get the key cloner in GTA 6?

Rockstar says you get it later in the game, and previews say theft tools unlock through jobs for fences. The exact mission is not known yet; we will add it after launch.

Do stolen cars have trackers in GTA 6?

Some do, especially high-end cars and every police car. A high-end tracker reports your position if you drive slowly for too long. Later in the game a car fence can remove trackers.

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