The burglar is back in The Sims 4 and, while they may have taken ten years to add, at least it's free

A burglar in The Sims 4.
(Image credit: EA)

  • Burglars have finally been added to The Sims 4 in a free update
  • They can break into your virtual home and steal your most valuable stuff
  • You're able to protect yourself in a variety of ways

Hide your valuables and install a burglar alarm, because the fan-favorite crafty criminals are back in The Sims 4. The update coincides with the 25th anniversary of The Sims franchise and has launched ahead of the upcoming The Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies expansion pack.

In The Sims 4, the burglar is a new character: the aptly named Robin Banks. She can sneak into your house at night, stealing valuable items before sneaking off into the darkness. If one of your Sims is at home, they will be able to call the police and, if they arrive in time, see the burglar arrested.

If your Sim is feeling particularly brave, you can also opt to fight the burglar in a one on one duel - with stronger and more fit Sims more likely to succeed. Alternatively, there are a few other potential defenses all tied into various downloadable content (DLC) packs.

Those who own a dog in The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs will be fully protected, as their pet can chase the burglar away. Werewolves from The Sims 4 Werewolves will be able to scare the burglar too, while spellcasters (part of The Sims 4 Realm of Magic) can attack them with spells. For The Sims 4 Vampires owners, Vampire Sims could use their magic to command the thief to leave and scientists in The Sims 4 Get to Work get to whip out their trusty freeze ray.

Even if you don't own any DLC packs, burglar alarms have been added with a variety of different types that do everything from call the police to zap burglars, forcing them to drop their stolen items and leave. There are unique interactions to discover too, such as the chance that teenage Sims will stop for a cheeky selfie with the criminal before running away.

Burglars are Back in The Sims 4 - YouTube Burglars are Back in The Sims 4 - YouTube
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Is it a bit of a shame that it took over a decade since The Sims 4 launched back in September 2014 to add a feature that was present in The Sims, The Sims 2 and The Sims 3? Undeniably, but I suppose it's better late than never. I'm also glad that it's now part of the base game, rather than a paid DLC.

The Sims 4 is available now as a free-to-play title on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. That's in addition to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility.

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Dashiell Wood
Hardware Writer

Dash is a technology journalist who covers gaming hardware at TechRadar. Before joining the TechRadar team, he was writing gaming articles for some of the UK's biggest magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.

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