This Skill entails familiarity with the tools and techniques for the sorts of physical manipulation typically associated with criminal activity. Picking locks, manual forgery, safe-cracking, simple hot-wiring, various forms of breaking and entering, and even sleight-of-hand all fall under the auspices of Larceny. Larceny is useful not only for theft, but also for setting up “the unbeatable system” or deducing where a thief broke in. This skill does not confer any aptitude with advanced security or anti-crime technologies such as video surveillance or alarm systems — those are covered by the Technology Knowledge.

• * Novice: You can pick a simple lock.
• •• Practiced: You could run a shell game hustle on the corner.
• ••• Competent: You can open a standard locked window from the outside.
• •••• Expert: You can “retool” a passport or ID card.
• ••••• Master: You could get into (or out of…) a multinational bank’s central vault.

Possessed by: Burglars, Security Consultants, Policemen, Car Thieves, Street Magicians

Specialties: Safe-cracking, Misdirection, Lock-picking, Hot-wiring, Pickpocketing