Player versus Player Crime
Player versus Player crime, or PVP for short, refers to criminal activities done by players to other players. For example, a player stealing an item from the inventory of another player's character is a typical form of PVP crime. When you begin playing this game PVP options will be deactivated for your character. It's perfectly possible to successfully play this game forever without ever activating the PVP mode. In fact, a lot of players will argue that it's the only safe way to play the game.
All types of crime listed on this page are considered PVP. Please read everything very carefully before signing up for the PVP game.
Theft
Characters with the appropriate skills can steal items from other criminal characters. Items can also be stolen from homes and personal vehicles if you're in the right location.
Most types of items in the game can be stolen from criminal characters. However, only items with a defined criminal value are clearly marked in item listings with a handy "Steal" link. Items without a criminal value have to be stolen from their item details page. Some special items and items which have been purchased, or protected, with credits can not be stolen.
You can't steal items from someone who's travelling or is on stage. You can't steal an item from someone who's focusing on guarding their items. (Guarding items is a focus only available to criminals.)
Factors determining the outcome of attempted thefts are the skills Basic Crime and Pickpocketing, the number of people present in the locale, and the size of the item stolen. Basic Street-smartness, Surviving on the Street makes for somewhat better defense against frequent theft. Basic Martial Arts & Jujutsu Mastery can also play a part if a fight breaks out during the theft.
Handling Stolen Items
Only a character who has signed up for a life of crime is allowed to handle stolen goods. This means that a criminal can't steal a valuable item and give it to someone who is not a criminal character. It also means that stolen items can't be dropped in homes belonging to characters which aren't criminals either.
An item is only considered stolen if it has information available for it on who stole the item and at what date it was stolen. Therefore, holding an item which belongs to someone else doesn't necessarily mean you're handling stolen goods.
This limitation exists to prevent non-criminals from reaping the rewards of a criminal lifestyle without taking any of the risks.
Burglary
Characters proficient in the skill of Burglary can break into the homes of other criminals. All homes can be broken into, including homes purchased with credits. The quality of the home determines how hard it is to break into. Burglar alarms and Pets make for pleasant surprises. Once inside the burglar can steal any items belonging to criminals in the locale. (Items which don't have a rightful owner can simply be picked up without having to be stolen.)