Starfield:Crime

Crime refers to illegal activities that can be committed by the criminally-minded throughout the settled systems. If you are caught doing an illegal action by a witness you will incur a bounty and they will report your crime to local guards who will attempt to arrest you. When confronted by a guard you will have several different options to resolve the matter. Resisting an arrest will always turn the guards and NPCs with high responsibility in the area hostile towards you.

Bounties are tracked separately for each settlement and you will only incur a bounty in the settlement in which you commit a crime. Bounties can be paid off using a Self-Service Bounty Clearance machine, which are often found next to Mission Boards.

The four main companions, Sarah Morgan, Barrett, Sam Coe, and Andreja will react angrily to any major crimes you commit, such as assault or murder. They will flee the scene and later confront you about your behaviour. Your disposition with them will be greatly reduced.

Overview
A red icon next to an item's name when looking at it indicates that it is owned. Taking it while being detected by another person will incur a bounty. Successfully sneaking while committing a crime will prevent you from being detected.

Regardless of whether a crime is witnessed, the Status page in the menu keeps track of all your criminal activities. Each illegal activity will incur a specific penalty in credits that is added to your bounty.

Bounties
Each type of crime will incur a bounty. See above for the bounty amounts associated with types of crime.

Contraband and Stolen Items
Contraband are items that have been deemed illegal in the Settled Systems, such as the drug Aurora, mech parts, human organs, xenowarfare technology, and more. Security will scan you for contraband when orbiting certain planets, and will attempt to arrest you if any is detected in your inventory or in your ship's cargo. Contraband items in your inventory are marked with a yellow icon. Companions will not carry contraband for you.

Stolen items are items that have been illegally taken from their owner. Stolen items in your inventory will be marked with a red icon to indicate that the item was stolen, even if you were able to steal the item without being detected. As long as this tag is present, the item is considered stolen. Furthermore, standard merchants will not buy stolen items or contraband. However, Trade Authority merchants and certain other characters act as fences who are willing to buy such merchandise. The stolen flag can be cleared from items by selling the item to a fence and then buying it back, effectively serving as a means to launder stolen goods.

Any stolen items or contraband in your possession will be confiscated by the guards if you are arrested and do not bribe the guard to let you keep them. All items that are confiscated as a result of your arrest will be stored in a stolen items locker in the jail of the settlement. The chest is locked with an expert or master lock. Reclaiming confiscated items will not remove the status on them.

Getting Arrested
If you have a bounty, guards from the settlement in which the bounty applies will attempt to arrest you. You can ask the guards to ignore a very low bounty. However, you will have to ask every guard you speak with to overlook the crime to stop them from taking further action.

If you cancel the dialogue when guards attempt to arrest you, they will attack you without allowing you to pay your fine, no matter the infraction. If this happens, attempt to yield by sheathing your weapon, or leave, allow a few days of in-game time to pass, and return.

When meeting the conditions to begin Deep Cover, UC Security guards who confront you will be under orders to transfer you to the UC Vigilance. Other than asking them questions about what is going on, you will only have the option to either go with the guard or resist the arrest. When you go with the guard, they will process your arrest in the normal manner, but you will be transported on board the UC Vigilance to meet with Commander Kibwe Ikande.

Paying the Bounty
If you choose to pay off your bounty, you will pay the requisite amount of credits for the infraction and be transported to the nearest jail. All stolen items and contraband in your possession will be seized and put into the jail's stolen items locker. In certain jurisdictions, such as Paradiso, the guards will state they don't care about illicit goods and will not confiscate anything from you.

If your bounty is very low, the guard will simply deduct the fine from your current credit balance on the spot and take no further action.

Bribing a Guard
This option is available at Rank 1 of the Negotiation skill. For an additional 2500 credits on top of your bounty, you can clear your name but keep hold of your stolen goods and contraband. As with the regular process, you will be transported to the nearest jail after paying the guard.

If you choose this option in a jurisdiction that does not confiscate items, the guard will simply tell you to keep your money and will process your arrest as though you had chosen to pay your bounty in the normal manner.

Going to Jail
If you are unable or choose not to pay your bounty, you and your ship will be transported to the nearest jail and your stolen goods will be seized and placed in the jail's stolen items locker. You do not have to actually serve your sentence; several days will immediately pass and you are free to go right after being transported. However, you will lose an amount of XP proportional to the bounty you incurred. You cannot lose a level or any skills, however it is possible to incur an XP deficit in which you cannot gain any more XP until the deficit has been increased to 0.

Resisting Arrest
Resisting arrest will cause all guards in the area to attack you. If you change your mind, yielding to a guard by sheathing your weapon may prompt them to stop attacking and to arrest you again, presenting the same options. Sometimes, you cannot yield, and the guards will simply continue to attack.

Persuading a Guard
If your bounty is very low, you can simply tell the guard that you do not have the means to pay it. The guard will deem you not to be worth the effort of pursuing and will take no further action. The bounty will remain, however, and speaking to guards will initiate an arrest once again.

Generic
Confronted by a guard after incurring a bounty:
 * "Hold it right there! You're under arrest!"
 * ''"Hold it right there! You're in all kinds of trouble!"
 * "You're under arrest! No sudden moves!"


 * [Attack] You won't take me alive! (Guards turn hostile)
 * "We've got a live one here!"
 * "You want to do this the hard way, huh?"

Recognized by a guard when having a low bounty:

UC Security
Confronted by a guard after incurring a bounty:
 * "UC Security! You're under arrest!"


 * I'll pay the fine, but let's leave illicit goods out of this...
 * "Keep your bribe. I don't care about contraband. We're outside UC and FC jurisdictions. But you're still coming with me to pay your fine."


 * I'll pay whatever fine you're charging.


 * Don't worry, I'll go quietly.


 * [Attack] You won't take me alive! (Guards turn hostile)
 * "Have it your way!"
 * "Why do I always get the dumb ones..."

Confronted by a guard at the beginning of Deep Cover: "I've got special orders. You're coming with me. Prepare for immediate transport to our vessel."
 * I'm ready.
 * "Smart decision. Stand by to be transferred."


 * [Attack] I'm not going anywhere with you!
 * "Have it your way!" (Guards turn hostile)


 * You going to tell me what's going on here?
 * "I've been authorised to tell you that you're being transferred to the UC Vigilance. You'll find out more when you get there. Other than that, I'm not at liberty to divulge any additional information."


 * What about my ship?
 * "We have orders to transport you and your vessel to your final destination, the UC Vigilance. Any deviation from those orders on your part will be considered an act of hostility and will be met with aggressive force."

Neon Security
Confronted by a guard after incurring a bounty:
 * ''"Neon Security! You're under arrest!"
 * "Freeze! Neon Security!"
 * "Wait... You're on the wanted list!"


 * I'll pay the fine, but let's leave illicit goods out of this...
 * "Searching a fine... upstanding citizen like you would be a waste of time. Still gotta go to the station, though."
 * "I can't remember if I already searched you. I must've, right? Let's go back to the station. Heh"
 * "You know, I can just tell you've got no contraband. Let's head to the station, though."
 * "I thought for sure you had contraband. Guess not. I'll still have to take you in."


 * I'll pay whatever fine you're charging.


 * You won't take me alive! (Guards turn hostile)
 * "Why do I always get the dumb ones..."
 * "You want to do this the hard way, huh?"

Paradiso Security
Confronted by a guard after incurring a bounty:
 * "Under the authority of the Paradiso Group, you're under arrest!"
 * "Stop! Paradiso Security! We can handle this without making a scene!"
 * "Paradiso Security! We don't want any trouble. You need to stop what you're doing and come with us."


 * I'll pay the fine, but let's leave illicit goods out of this...
 * "Keep your bribe. I don't care about contraband. We're outside UC and FC jurisdictions. But you're still coming with me to pay your fine."


 * I'll pay whatever fine you're charging.
 * "I guess you're smarter than you look"
 * "Good. We don't need any more trouble today."
 * "Thank you for cooperating. Pay your fine, and after a short stay in our detention cell, you'll be allowed to go. No need to search for contraband."
 * "Good. We're not concerned with contraband here, so no need to check you or your ship. Just come with us, do your time, and we'll sort this all out."


 * [Attack] You won't take me alive! (Guards turn hostile)
 * "Take 'em down! Careful of the guests!"