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{{Split||Dedicated articles for each game is required, as it is case for other wanted level pages}}
A '''Wanted Level''' tells the player how much he is wanted by the law enforcement. As the player's wanted level increases, more powerful forms of law enforcement will pursue him. In [[3D Universe]], a wanted level is measured on a six-star scale. Committing several minor crimes in a quick succession – such as beating pedestrians up, destroying cars, etc – will earn him one star. Continuing to commit crimes will often lead to a second star. Serious crimes (for example, throwing a grenade into a large crowd of bystanders) often earn the player multiple wanted stars outright. A wanted level is cumulative and it is possible to reach a six-star wanted level by simply shooting a lot of pedestrians.
 
   
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[[File:3D Wanted.jpg|thumb|220x220px|A 3-star wanted level in ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]]''.]]
If the player has one or more wanted stars, nearby [[police]] will give chase and attempt to arrest the player. An arrest is executed by either knocking the player onto the ground or by opening the player's car door and then holding him at gunpoint. In both cases, the player has no choice but to give up. If the police have successfully arrested you, a message "[[Busted]]" will pop up, the player is transported to the nearest police station and is released 12 hours later. After the player is released, his cash will decrease about $100 and his weapons will be confiscated (unless in GTA: San Andreas after [[Girlfriends in GTA San Andreas|dating]] [[Barbara Schternvart]], your weapons will not be confiscated and in GTA: Vice City Stories, you can buy back the weapons but you will need $2000 to do it.) Any mission the player was on will be failed.
 
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[[File:GTATrilogyDE-GTAIII-Screenshot5.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Claude]] escaping the [[Liberty City Police Department (3D Universe)|police]] in a [[Banshee]] in ''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]''.]]
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The '''Wanted Level''' tells the player how much police attention they're getting. As the player's wanted level increases, more powerful forms and a greater quantity of law enforcement will pursue them.
   
  +
==Gameplay==
The wanted level can be decreased various ways. It will slowly decrease on its own if the player is out of sight of the police or "lies low". Driving around will make it happen faster. A one-star wanted level will disappear this way rather quickly, while two stars might require the player to travel across the whole map. The wanted level does not decrease if the player is driving a law enforcement vehicle or an aircraft in San Andreas.
 
  +
In the [[3D Universe]], a wanted level is measured on a six-star scale. When the player begins committing several minor crimes in a quick succession, such as beating pedestrians up or destroying cars, then the bar will go up by one star. As the player continues their spree, the stars accordingly increase.
   
  +
With at least one star, nearby [[Police (law enforcement)|police]] will give chase to arrest the player. If they are successful, then the "[[Busted]]" message will appear, any mission the player was on will fail (similarly to if the player is [[wasted]]), and the player is transported to the nearest police station, stripped of all weapons and a small amount of money, ranging from $200–2,000 (or $1,000 in ''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]''). Weapons, however, may not be confiscated in certain circumstances such as in ''GTA San Andreas'' when [[Girlfriends in GTA San Andreas|dating]] [[Barbara Schternvart]]. In ''GTA Vice City Stories'', the player is also given the option to 'buy back' his weapons. As the 10th anniversary rendition of ''GTA III'', ''GTA Vice City'', and ''GTA San Andreas'' were released on iOS, Android, and Windows phone, the player won't lose any weapons, regardless how many times they have been busted.
Higher wanted levels can be lost more quickly through picking up [[Police Bribes]] (each one reduces the player's wanted level by one star), running a vehicle through a [[Pay 'n' Spray]] or saving the game while in a Safe House. See the [[#Tips|Tips]] section below for more ways of lowering your stars.
 
   
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==Wanted Level Limit==
*It is notoriously difficult to survive higher wanted levels without the use of [[Cheats|cheats]] or modifications. In all [[3D Universe|3D Era]] games, there are cheats to raise and lower wanted levels. In [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]], there is a cheat to prevent the player from ever obtaining a wanted level. However, the player can still get attacked at police impound stations.
 
  +
''GTA III'', ''GTA Liberty City Stories'' and ''GTA San Andreas'' implement a limit to the wanted levels early in the game; for the first part of the game, the maximum level attainable is four stars (with the exception of entering "5-star" no fly zones); Later, when the player can access [[Staunton Island]]/[[San Fierro (3D Universe)|San Fierro]], a five-star level can be attained.
   
Liberty City Stories and San Andreas treat wanted levels slightly differently; for the first part of the game, the maximum level attainable is four stars (wiith the exception of entering "5-star" no fly zones); later, when the player can access [[Staunton Island]]/[[San Fierro (3D Universe)|San Fierro]], a five-star level can be attained. The "coveted" six-star level does not become available until much later in the game, or until you can access [[Las Venturas (3D Universe)|Las Venturas]] respectively.
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The "coveted" six-star level does not become available until much later in the game, or until the player can access [[Shoreside Vale]]/[[Las Venturas (3D Universe)|Las Venturas]], respectively.
   
  +
In ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' and ''GTA Vice City Stories'', the maximum wanted level is also limited to four stars at the beginning of the game, though the limit unlocking is not as related to gaining access to locations as in the other games. In the former game, a five-star level is obtainable when the player can access [[Starfish Island]], and in ''GTA Vice City Stories'' after the player can [[Empire Building|build an empire]].
==One Star==
 
   
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The ultimate six-star level is only available after taking over [[Diaz's Mansion]] in ''Vice City'', while the latter game allows attaining such a level after the player can access the [[Vice City Beach]] and [[Prawn Island]].
: At a one star wanted level, any [[police|police officer]] that spots the player will give chase and attempt to arrest him. The police will attempt to knock the player down with their fists (in [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]]) and [[nightstick]]s (in other [[3D Universe|3D Era]] games). They also do not shoot unless they are threatened by the player. An exception to this rule is if you are inaccessible to the police officer; for example if you are standing on top of a vehicle, he will pull out his gun and start shooting (in GTA San Andreas, if you are holding a gun or a thrown weapon, officers will shoot at you, and also if you run over an officer without killing him, on the other hand, standing out of the officer's access will not make him fire).
 
   
  +
==Wanted Levels==
: [[Police Car|Police cars]] will follow the player, but they can be easily outrun. If the player stays out of sight and does not commit any further crimes, a one-star wanted level expires on its own. If the player is on foot, police will exit their vehicle and chase you on foot.
 
  +
===One Star===
  +
*Police: 2 officers on foot.
  +
*Vehicles: Police Cars, HPV-1000, Ranger (rural areas)
  +
*Threat: Low - Medium
   
  +
Any [[Police (law enforcement)|police]] [[Police Officers|officers]], that spot the player, will give chase in an attempt to apprehend them. In all 3D Universe games, bar ''GTA Advance'' and ''GTA Vice City Stories'', only one officer at a time will actually pursue the player.
: A one-star wanted level is attained by committing the following minor crimes. Many of these will not immediately result in a wanted level unless a police officer is around to witness them or multiple offenses are committed in quick succession.
 
* Planting a [[Satchel Charge]] in public ([[Grand Theft Auto San Andreas]])
 
* Attacking and/or killing pedestrians in public.
 
* Attacking a police officer without firearms, or knocking them over in a car without killing them.
 
* Damaging and/or destroying a vehicle in public.
 
* Attacking or shooting a police vehicle (always results in a wanted level even when out of sight, doesn't trigger with the Police Maverick or FBI/Army vehicles)
 
* Crashing into a police vehicle (crashing into an empty/parked police car will not result in a wanted level)
 
* Discharging a firearm in public (including [[Drive-By Shooting|drive-by shooting]])
 
* Revving a [[Chainsaw|chainsaw]] in public (except [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]])
 
* Using a [[Molotov Cocktail]] in public
 
* Carjacking or stealing parked vehicles within a certain proximity from a police officer (no wanted level is given if the vehicle is locked, including police cars). This includes the vehicles used for the courier missions.
 
* Attempting to steal a police vehicle with an officer inside
 
* Driving a vehicle with the alarm going off near an officer
 
* Selling multiple ice cream cones during ''[[Distribution]]'' ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]] - wanted level increases for every five sales made)
 
* Robbing stores for the minimum amount of cash ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]])
 
* Destroying a police antenna during the mission [[Turn On, Tune In, Bug Out]] ([[GTA Vice City Stories]] - one wanted star for each antenna destroyed; up to a maximum of 5 stars)
 
* Upon completion of the [[Dam and Blast]] mission (GTA San Andreas)
 
* Killing a guard inside the casino ([[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]])
 
* Running over a police officer with a vehicle ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]] gives 2 stars)
 
   
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All other officers in the area will simply walk or stand idly until the pursuing officer is either killed and/or out of the player's range. The police will attempt to knock the player down with their fists (in ''GTA III'' and ''[[Grand Theft Auto Advance|GTA Advance]]'') and [[nightstick]]s (in other 3D Universe games). They also shoot if they are threatened by the player. An exception to this rule is if the protagonist is inaccessible to the police officer; for example, if the player is standing on top of a vehicle, he will pull out his gun and start shooting (in ''GTA San Andreas'', officers will shoot at Carl if he is holding a firearm or explosives). Any existing [[Police Car|Police cars]] will start to chase down the player, but not aggressively, however the occupants will exit their vehicle, and begin a foot chase when they get too close.
==Two Stars==
 
   
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In ''GTA San Andreas'' and ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories|GTA Vice City Stories]]'', [[HPV-1000|police]] [[VCPD WinterGreen|bikes]] also chase the player, their [[Motor Officer|drivers]] shoot at the player in ''GTA San Andreas'', and [[Ranger]]s chase the player instead of police cars/bikes when Carl is in the countryside/desert.
: At a two-star wanted level, the police start actively searching for the player. Officers now shoot to kill, including when you're unarmed, and each patrol car is occupied by two officers. Officers in cars now give chase rather than simply follow behind and often try to overtake or spin the player out. On water, [[Predator|armed police boats]] give chase.
 
: Two wanted stars are attained by:
 
* Aiming a gun at a police officer (in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]] you will get only one star)
 
* Injuring and/or killing 2 or more police officers (even killing only one is mostly enough)
 
* Destroying many cars at once
 
* Killing many people in a short period of time
 
* Crashing into a fuel pump (in gas stations, in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]] you will get only one star)
 
* Displaying a firearm inside a police station in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|San Andreas]] (a melee weapon will not warrant a wanted level)
 
* Destroying any aircraft in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|San Andreas]], sometimes gives 3 stars right away
 
* Continuing to rob a store, after the store employee drops three money packs. ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]])
 
* Trespassing in the [[Washington Beach Police Station]] ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]], unless wearing the cop uniform)
 
* Attacking a police officer with a [[knife]], [[machete]], [[katana]], [[chainsaw]], gun, [[flame thrower]], or explosive ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]])
 
* Continuing to beat, shoot a dead officer or detonate explosives next to his corpse. Running over the corpse with a car may also contribute to this.
 
* Transporting a criminal during the [[Taxi Driver]] mission ([[GTA Vice City Stories]])
 
* Can happen while smashing a shop's stock for the [[Protection Racket (business)|Protection Racket]] side mission. ([[GTA: Vice City Stories]])
 
* Attempting to steal a Money Truck for the [[Robbery]] side mission ([[GTA: Vice City Stories]])
 
   
  +
A one-star wanted level originates from committing the following minor crimes. Many of these will not immediately result in a wanted level unless a police officer is physically around to witness them and/or multiple offenses are committed in quick succession:
==Three Stars==
 
  +
*Planting a [[Satchel Charge]] in public (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Attacking and/or killing pedestrians in public.
  +
*Attacking a police officer without firearms, and/or knocking them over in a car without killing them.
  +
*Damaging and/or destroying a vehicle in public.
  +
*Attacking and/or shooting a police vehicle (always results in a wanted level even when out of sight, doesn't trigger with the Police Maverick and/or FBI/Army vehicles).
  +
*Crashing, and/or even touching, into a police vehicle (crashing a parked police vehicle will not result in a wanted level)
  +
*Using a weapon in public (including [[Drive-By Shooting|drive-by shooting]]).
  +
*Revving a chainsaw in public (''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]]'').
  +
*Carjacking and/or stealing parked vehicles within a certain proximity from a police officer (no wanted level is given if the vehicle is locked, including police cars).
  +
*Attempting to steal a police vehicle with an officer inside.
  +
*Starting a gang shootout in public (more stars can be attained if the player continues to shoot at gang members).
  +
*Driving a stolen vehicle with the alarm going off near an officer.
  +
*Having sex with [[prostitutes]] in a car when a patrolling police officer or vehicle is nearby (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*[[Robberies|Robbing stores]] for the minimum amount of cash (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Attacking a casino guard (''GTA San Andreas''; the player can get more stars if they continue).
  +
*Running over a police officer with a vehicle (''GTA Vice City'' usually gives two stars, but can give one star in some cases).
  +
*Pushing a [[Barbeque Tank|gas cylinder]] onto the streets, causing an explosion when a vehicle runs over it (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Using thrown weapons (''GTA San Andreas,'' sometimes even when there is no witness around the player).
  +
*Detonating a car armed with [[Car Bomb|bomb]] in public (can get more stars if the explosion causes mass damage).
  +
*Spraying gang tags when an officer is around (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Killing a valet while not in the [[Valet]] parking mission (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*After killing Mike Forelli in the ''GTA III'' mission [[Mike Lips Last Lunch]] (only if there is a nearby Police Officer and/or a police car that was parked near the player at the bistro beforehand due to a glitch).
  +
*Smashing five windows during the mission [[Shakedown (GTA Vice City)|Shakedown]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Entering the "[[Cheats in GTA Vice City|HOPINGIRL]]" cheat near a cop while the player is in a police vehicle (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Killing an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] agent with a firearm.
  +
*Stealing the parked [[HPV-1000]]'s in the mission [[Cop Wheels]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Upon completing the mission [[Dam and Blast]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
   
  +
===Two Stars===
: At a three-star wanted level, pursuing police vehicles become more aggressive, driving at maximum speed, and the police will also begin to set up armed roadblocks on main roads. A [[Police Maverick|police helicopter]] is also called in to assist and its crew follows the player, putting a spotlight on the protagonist, shooting at the player via an invisible machine gun on the fuselage if they get a clear shot and hilariously addressing the player over a loudspeaker, as well rappelling down four SWAT officers. Excluding GTA III and GTA San Andreas, police officers begin to deploy spike strips to puncture the player's tires, making driving difficult. In GTA San Andreas, if you are on foot and a police car spots you, one of the two officers will use a shotgun instead of a pistol. Additionally, in [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]] and [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories|GTA Vice City Stories]], undercover 'Vice Squad' detectives armed with Uzis and driving [[VCPD Cheetah|Cheetahs]] also give chase.  In GTA Vice City, [[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories|GTA Liberty City Stories]] and GTA Vice City Stories, police officers will deploy [[Spike Strip]]s from the side of the road, intent on puncturing your tires.
 
  +
*Police: 1-3 officers
  +
*Vehicles: 2 Police Cars, HPV-1000, Predator, Ranger (rural areas)
  +
*Threat: Medium
  +
At a two-star wanted level, the police will start actively searching for the player. Officers now shoot to kill, even if the player is unarmed. Personnel in cars spawn and aggressively give chase rather than simply follow behind to overtake or spin the player out. On water, [[Predator|armed police boats]] give chase.
   
Three wanted stars are attained by:
+
Two stars are attained by:
  +
*Aiming a gun at a police officer (in ''GTA San Andreas'', doing so will get only one star).
  +
*Injuring and/or killing 2 or more police officers (in some games, even killing only one is usually enough).
  +
*Attacking and/or killing a police officer, [[Special Weapons and Tactics|SWAT]], or [[military]] personnel with a firearm (sometimes a one star wanted level is attained).
  +
*Attacking and/or killing a police officer with a [[knife]], [[machete]], [[katana]] or [[chainsaw]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Killing a police officer on foot or in vehicle with a sniper rifle.
  +
*Killing many people in a short space of time (more stars can be attained if the player continues).
  +
*Killing [[Gonzalez]] during the mission [[Treacherous Swine]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Killing [[Pierre La Ponce]] during the mission [[Mall Shootout]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Smashing ten windows during the mission [[Shakedown (GTA Vice City)|Shakedown]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Stealing the van during the mission [[Cannon Fodder]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Collecting the first briefcase during the mission [[Juju Scramble]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Destroying many vehicles at once (more stars can be attained if the explosion causes too much damage).
  +
*Crashing into a fuel pump at a gas station (on ''GTA San Andreas'', doing so will get only one star).
  +
*Destroying any aircraft (including [[Vortex]]) in ''GTA San Andreas'' (sometimes gives 4 stars right away if a 2-star wanted level had been attained previously).
  +
*Continuing to rob a store after the employee drops three money packs (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Trespassing in the [[Washington Beach Police Station]] (''GTA Vice City'', unless wearing the cop uniform).
  +
*Continuing to attack a dead cop: this includes beating, shoot, and/or detonating explosives next to his corpse. Running over the corpse with a car may also contribute to a two-star wanted level.
  +
*Transporting a criminal during the [[Taxi Driver]] mission (''GTA Vice City Stories'').
  +
*Can happen while smashing a shop's stock for the [[Protection Racket (business)|Protection Racket]] side mission (''Vice City Stories'').
  +
*After killing Casa during the mission [[Dead Meat]] (''GTA Liberty City Stories'').
  +
*Attempting to steal a Money Truck for the [[Robbery]] side mission (''GTA Vice City Stories'').
  +
*Entering "[[Cheats in GTA Vice City|YOUWONTTAKEMEALIVE]]" and/or similar cheat codes in other platforms in ''GTA Vice City''.
  +
*Entering "[[Cheats in GTA San Andreas|TURNUPTHEHEAT]]" and/or similar cheat codes in other platforms in ''GTA San Andreas''.
  +
*After collecting at least three crates before alerting the [[Colonel Fuhrberger|house owner]], and/or if the player fails the mission [[Home Invasion]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*After finishing off the [[Ballas (3D Universe)|Ballas]] gang members during the mission [[Drive-By]]. (''GTA San Andreas'')
  +
*During the shootout at the cemetery in the mission [[Los Sepulcros]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Failing to bury the foreman in time during the mission [[Deconstruction]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Upon completing the mission [[Jizzy (mission)|Jizzy]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*During the mission [[Test Drive]], when Carl races with [[Cesar Vialpando]] in stolen cars (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*During the mission [[Architectural Espionage]], after causing a fire at the [[Las Venturas City Planning Department]] and taking a picture of [[Caligula's Palace]] blueprint (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Stealing the moving [[HPV-1000]]'s in the mission [[Cop Wheels]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Killing a casino guard (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Entering the LSPD HQ, LVPD HQ, or Countryside Police Department while carrying a firearm, explosives or camera (''GTA San Andreas'').
   
  +
===Three Stars===
*Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement (evading capture or death by any means)
 
  +
*Police: 2-4 Officers, SWAT, Vice Squad
* Continuing to cause collateral damage (killing civilians and destroying vehicles by any means)
 
  +
*Vehicles: 2-3 Police Cars, Police Maverick, Predator, Cheetah, Ranger (rural areas)
* Robbing stores for the maximum amount of cash ([[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]])
 
  +
*Threat: Medium - High
*After the bank robbery in the mission [[Getaway]], in [[Grand Theft Auto III]].
 
  +
At a three-star wanted level, pursuing police vehicles become even ''more'' aggressive, driving at maximum speed and will occasionally set up armed roadblocks on main roads. [[HPV-1000|Police]] [[VCPD WinterGreen|bikes]] don't chase the player anymore but a [[Police Maverick|police helicopter]] is called in to provide air support. They will shine a light and start shooting with a machine gun; from ''GTA Vice City'' onwards, they will also {{WP|Rappelling|rappel}} [[Special Weapons and Tactics|SWAT]] members down to the player's location and now join the chase. They wear full body armor and are armed with Uzi sub-machine guns.
* Entering police impound garages ([[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]]) (''Note:You can avoid having 3 star wanted level if you try to sneak through it by jumping through a wall where the guard can't see you.)''
 
* Trucking hot goods in San Andreas
 
* Driving the decoy van during the mission [[Money for Nothing]] ([[GTA Vice City Stories]])
 
* Trafficking drugs in the [[Drugs (business)|Drug Running]] side mission (GTA Vice City Stories)
 
* Being caught robbing homes during the[[ Burglary ]]side mission ([[GTA San Andreas]])
 
* Killing the bank guard during the [[Small Town Bank]] mission (GTA San Andreas)
 
* Stealing a Tank during the [[Sir, Yes Sir!]] mission (GTA Vice City)
 
* Delivering goods during Mission 3 & 6 of the [[Trucking|Trucking side mission]] (GTA San Andreas)
 
* Upon completion of the [[Outrider]] mission (GTA San Andreas)
 
   
  +
In ''GTA San Andreas'', if Carl is on foot and is spotted by a police car, one officer will use a [[Pump Action Shotgun]]. Additionally, in ''GTA Vice City'' and ''GTA Vice City Stories'', undercover [[Vice Squad (3D Universe)|Vice Squad]] detectives armed with Uzis and driving [[VCPD Cheetah|Cheetahs]] also give chase.
==Four Stars==
 
   
  +
In ''GTA Vice City'', ''GTA Liberty City Stories'' and ''GTA Vice City Stories'', patrolling police officers will deploy [[Spike Strip]]s from the side of the road, intent on puncturing the tires of the car the player's in.
: At a four-star wanted level, the police will drive more aggressively and even attempt to run you over if you are on foot. Police officers spawn everywhere at this level and run towards you shooting.  [[SWAT]] teams will now join the case. SWAT members wear body armor and are armed with Uzi sub-machine guns. Roadblocks now consist of the heavier and larger [[Enforcer|SWAT vans]], making them more difficult to ram through. The pursuing police helicopter fires at the player more frequently and, from [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]] onwards, [[Wikipedia:Rappelling|rappels]] [[SWAT]] members down to the player's location. In [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]], the police helicopter is  joined by a [[News Chopper]], and [[Hydra|military jets]] now pursue and attempt to shoot down the player if he is flying an aircraft.
 
* Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement
 
* Continuing to cause collateral damage
 
* Planting a Satchel Charge on a Police Helicopter
 
* Entering or flying over a city that has not yet unlocked in the storyline in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]]
 
* Blowing up an [[DeadDodo|AI controlled full-winged]] [[Dodo]] in [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]] and [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]]
 
* Blowing up the police helicopter which appears at a three star [[wanted level]] (not to be confused with the player-operable [[Police Maverick]])
 
* Entering the [[Restricted Areas|restricted area]] of [[El Banco Corrupto Grande]] in [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]]
 
* Engaging in the [[Smuggling]] side mission in [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories|GTA Vice City Stories]]
 
* Trucking very hot goods (mission 8) in the [[Trucking]] side mission in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]]
 
* Blowing all police cars and kill all officers that appear in a [[Police Roadblocks|Roadblock]]
 
   
: Four wanted stars are attained by:
+
Three stars are attained by:
   
  +
*Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement (avoiding being arrested or killed by any means).
==Five Stars==
 
  +
*Continuing to cause collateral damage (killing civilians and/or destroying vehicles by any means).
  +
*Robbing stores for the maximum amount of cash (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Blowing up an [[DeadDodo|AI controlled full-winged]] [[Dodo]] in ''GTA Vice City''.
  +
*Entering police [[Impound Garage|impound garages]] (''GTA San Andreas'', the player will only attain a 3-star wanted level if an officer guarding the impound garage calls for backup.)
  +
*After robbing a bank during the mission [[The Getaway]] (''GTA III'').
  +
*Driving the decoy van during the mission [[Money for Nothing]] (''GTA Vice City Stories'').
  +
*Trafficking drugs in the [[Drug Running]] side mission (''GTA Vice City Stories'').
  +
*Failing to flee a house after being caught during the [[Burglar|Burglary]] side mission in ''GTA San Andreas''.
  +
*After all crates are collected in the mission [[Catalyst]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Killing the bank guard during the mission [[Small Town Bank]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*After reaching the checkpoint during the mission [[Driving Mr Leone]] (''GTA Liberty City Stories'').
  +
*Stealing the [[Squalo]] during the mission [[The Fastest Boat]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Stealing the tank during the mission [[Sir, Yes Sir!]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Smashing fifteen windows during the mission [[Shakedown (GTA Vice City)|Shakedown]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Rescuing Vincenzo's men in the mission [[Smash and Grab]] (''GTA Liberty City Stories'').
  +
*After collecting Vincenzo's Car during the mission [[Hot Wheels (GTA Liberty City Stories)|Hot Wheels]] (''GTA Liberty City Stories'').
  +
*Delivering goods during Mission 3 & 6 of the [[Trucking|Trucking side mission]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Trucking hot goods in the [[Trucking]] side mission (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Upon leaving [[Easter Bay Airport]] with [[Mike Toreno]] and [[T-Bone Mendez]] during the mission [[Mike Toreno (mission)|Mike Toreno]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Upon completing the mission [[Outrider]] (''GTA San Andreas'').
  +
*Driving the Feltzer with [[Johnny Sindacco]] tied to the hood on the [[Julius Thruway]] during the mission [[Fender Ketchup]] (''GTA San Andreas)''.
   
  +
===Four Stars===
: At a five-star wanted level, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] takes over the chase and completely replaces local police on the ground (local police will still chase the player if they see him and police officers on foot keep spawning when the player is on foot in San Andreas) and the streets begin to clear of civilians (In GTA Liberty City Stories, however, there are still lots of pedestrians in the streets). Four-FBI teams of heavily armed and armored FBI agents drive armored cars and SUVs and make for formidable opponents. The FBI agents are armed with [[AK-47]]s and 9mm handguns in [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]] and [[MP5]]s in later games. Their driving is even more aggressive and they usually opt to ram the player's vehicle head on at high speed and then batter it to pieces before he/she can recover. In [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]], the pursuing police helicopter is joined by a second, and both stick to the player doggedly and fire at the protagonist whenever they get the chance. The roadblocks now consist of FBI vehicles, which are easier to ram through, but the FBI agents' [[MP5]]s tear through most [[vehicles]] fairly quickly. The waters are saturated with [[Predator]]s at this wanted-level.
 
  +
*Police: Police Officers, 4 SWAT
  +
*Vehicles: Enforcer, Police Cars, Police Maverick, Hydra, Predator, News Chopper, Ranger (rural areas)
  +
*Threat: High
   
  +
At a four-star wanted level, [[Special Weapons and Tactics|SWAT]] teams will give chase in armored vans. Roadblocks now consist of these heavier and larger [[Enforcer|SWAT vans]], making them more difficult to ram through.
: Trespassing inside a military base will release a five star [[wanted level]] and cops swarm in and attempt to kill the player.
 
   
  +
In ''GTA San Andreas'', the police helicopter is joined by a [[VCN Maverick|News Chopper]] (which is replaced by another Police Maverick when shot down), and up to two [[Hydra]]s that will pursue and attempt to shoot down the player if they are flying an aircraft or a helicopter.
: Five stars are attained by:
 
:* Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement
 
:* Continuing to cause collateral damage
 
:* Entering or flying over the [[Easter Basin Naval Station]] in [[GTA San Andreas]]
 
:* Entering or flying over the [[Area 69]] research base in [[GTA San Andreas]]. Doing this will result not only in the wanted level, but also attack from SAM Sites and enemy [[Hydra]]s.
 
   
  +
Four stars are attained by:
==Six Stars==
 
  +
*Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement.
  +
*Continuing to cause collateral damage.
  +
*Planting a Satchel Charge on a Police Helicopter.
  +
*Attempting to enter and/or fly over a city or any territory of it that has not yet been unlocked in the storyline in ''GTA San Andreas''.
  +
**Note: if the player returns to [[Los Santos (3D Universe)|Los Santos]] shortly after entering the city that is not unlocked, the four-star wanted level will decrease to a three-star wanted level.
  +
*Blowing up an [[DeadDodo|AI controlled full winged]] [[Dodo]] in ''GTA III''.
  +
*Smashing twenty windows during the mission [[Shakedown (GTA Vice City)|Shakedown]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Attacking the two soldiers guarding the café during the mission [[Cop Land]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Collecting all the briefcases during the mission [[Naval Engagement]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*Collecting the second briefcase during the mission [[Juju Scramble]] (''GTA Vice City'').
  +
*After robbing the [[Inside Track]] betting shop in the ''GTA San Andreas'' mission [[Against All Odds]].
  +
*After leaving the [[Las Venturas City Planning Department]] in the ''GTA San Andreas'' mission [[Architectural Espionage]].
  +
*Blowing up the police helicopter which appears at a three star wanted level (not to be confused with the player-operable [[Police Maverick]]).
  +
*Entering the [[Restricted Areas|restricted area]] of [[El Banco Corrupto Grande]] in ''GTA Vice City''.
  +
*Engaging in the [[Smuggling]] side mission in ''GTA Vice City Stories''.
  +
*Trucking very hot goods (mission 8) in the [[Trucking]] side mission in ''GTA San Andreas''.
  +
*Blowing up all police cars and killing all officers that appear in a [[Police Roadblocks|Roadblock]].
   
  +
===Five Stars===
: At six stars, the military will take over from the FBI, and all civilians will be replaced with military officers and will give chase in [[Barracks OL]] trucks and [[Rhino]] tanks, making travel in ordinary vehicles extremely hazardous. Civilians have almost completely disappeared from the streets at this point (In GTA Liberty City Stories, however, there are still lots of pedestrians in the streets), and the soldiers drive with total disregard for anything but ramming the player into oblivion. Roadblocks now consist of Barracks OL trucks. At six stars, police helicopters rule the skies, the sea is thick with police boats and in addition to the army, police officers are everywhere - appearing from all directions in large numbers. If the player cannot get to a [[Pay 'n' Spray]] with a suitable vehicle, stealing a [[Rhino|tank]] or taking to the skies in a helicopter and trying to pick up police bribes around the city are often the only practical options for reducing a six-star wanted level. The Army soldiers carry [[AR-15|M16s]], [[MP5]]s or [[AR-15|M4s]] depending on the game.
 
  +
*Police: Police Officers, 2-4 FBI Agents, SWAT
  +
*Vehicles: Unmarked FBI Vehicle, Police Maverick, Hydra, Predator, News Chopper, Police Cars, Ranger (rural areas)
  +
*Threat: High - Extreme
   
  +
At a five-star wanted level, the local police are supplanted (replaced) by [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] agents which takes over a majority of the chase (local police will still chase the player if they see them and police officers on foot endlessly spawn when the player is on foot in ''GTA San Andreas'').
Unlike in the story mode where enemies often miss, the soldiers are pinpoint crackshots, and a gunfight is considered suicide as the army will take the player down very fast.
 
   
  +
The streets begins to clear of civilians (in ''GTA Liberty City Stories'', however, there are still lots of [[pedestrians]] in the area). Four-FBI teams of heavily armed and armored agents drive armored unmarked cars and SUVs and make for formidable opponents. The FBI agents are armed with [[AK-47]]s and 9mm handguns in ''GTA III'' and [[MP5]]s in later games.
It is difficult to attain a 6-star wanted level without cheats, given the difficulty of surviving the 4- and 5-star levels for any length of time. In Liberty City Stories, the 6-star wanted level isn't unlocked until later in the game.
 
   
  +
Their driving is considered extremely aggressive, and they opt to ram the player's vehicle head on at high speed and then batter it to pieces before one can recover. In ''GTA III'', the pursuing police helicopter is joined by a second, and both stick to the player doggedly and fire at the protagonist whenever they get the chance. The roadblocks now consist of FBI vehicles, which are harder to ram through. Their [[MP5]]s are accurate which means travelling on foot is dangerous and when encountering a roadblock, it will tear through most [[Vehicles |vehicles]] fairly quickly. The waters are also saturated with [[Predator]]s at this wanted level. At five stars, little to no police cars will appear on the road.
: Six stars are attained by
 
:* Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement
 
:* Entering in the [[Gruppe 6|van]], in the mission [[Decoy]].
 
:* Continuing to cause collateral damage
 
:* Entering the "'''[[Cheats in GTA San Andreas|BRINGITON]]'''" cheat or any other type of cheat that would enable all six stars in [[Grand Theft Auto San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]].
 
   
  +
From this wanted level, the police will also become aggressive and surround the player's building if the player intends to flee inside the building.
Notes:
 
* In most 3D Era games, it is not possible to attain a 6-star wanted level until the final region of each game is unlocked.
 
* In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the Rhino tank that spawns cannot be driven or entered until the mission [[Over The Top]] is completed. (Assuming it is accessible as in previous games can be a fatal mistake.)
 
* In [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories]] and [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]], regular police will continue to attack during a 6-star wanted level, alongside the military.
 
   
  +
Five stars are attained by:
==Tips==
 
  +
*Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement.
: How to lower your stars:
 
  +
*Continuing to cause collateral damage.
:* Go to any nearest [[safehouse]] or save point and save the game. In GTA III and GTA Vice City, the game will need to be loaded again for losing your wanted level to take effect.
 
  +
*Smashing all windows during the mission [[Shakedown (GTA Vice City)|Shakedown]] (''GTA Vice City'').
:* Find bribe stars.
 
  +
*Entering the [[North Point Mall]] without wearing a cop outfit during the mission [[Cop Land]] (''GTA Vice City'').
:* [[Pay n Spray|Respray]] your [[vehicles|car]] in any [[Pay 'n' Spray]] garage. (Does not work for certain vehicles, however.)
 
  +
*Blowing up the café during the mission Cop Land (''GTA Vice City'').
:* If you have one wanted level star, go to any alley or remote place that people don't usually hang out and wait; within a couple of minutes the star will go away on its own. (However this becomes more difficult in the later stages of GTA: San Andreas when there is a greater police presence in Los Santos; sometimes the only way to get rid of a One-star rating in this part of the game while in that city is to use a safehouse, Pay 'n' Spray or head for the country.)
 
  +
*Taking photos of [[Alex Shrub]] during the mission [[Martha's Mug Shot]] (''GTA Vice City'').
:* Enter a safehouse and change your outfit. ([[GTA: San Andreas]], [[GTA: Vice City]]) Note, however, that this does not always work in [[GTA Vice City|Vice City]] if you get a 2-star wanted level or higher; more likely you will exit the safehouse to find it surrounded by police.
 
  +
*Collecting the third briefcase during the mission [[Juju Scramble]] (''GTA Vice City'').
:* Go to a clothing shop and change your clothes. ([[GTA: San Andreas]])
 
  +
*Entering and/or flying over the [[Easter Basin Naval Station]] in ''GTA San Andreas''.
:* In [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]], you can [[Mod Garages|modify]] your car in [[TransFender]], [[Loco Low Co.]] and [[Wheel Arch Angels]]; one modification (such as one respray) will make the stars flashing. Any other modifications done while the stars are flashing will make them disappear.
 
  +
*Entering and/or flying over the [[Area 69]] research base in ''GTA San Andreas''. Doing this will result not only in the wanted level, but also attack from [[Surface-to-Air Missile|SAM Sites]] (Note: the player will only attain a five-star wanted level if they fly low enough to the base).
:* In [[Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]], start the [[Freight Train Challenge|freight train challenge]] and your wanted level will instantly disappear.
 
:* In GTA San Andreas, if you enter a region that has not yet been unlocked, receiving the 4-star level, and then re-enter the unlocked region, it drops to 3 stars and can be reduced further using bribes, saving, etc. However the wanted rating cannot be reduced if you stay in the locked region: picking up a bribe will briefly drop the rating to 3 stars, and taking a vehicle to a [[pay n' spray]] will reduce the level, but then the game re-registers your trespass and reinstates the 4-star rating; safehouses are not available until a region is officially unlocked.
 
:* In GTA San Andreas, you can lose a star by going through the rural/desert regions, even on a higher wanted level.
 
:* In GTA San Andreas, by going to an airport and buying a plane ticket to another city.
 
:*After completing a mission, all your stars will be gone (all of the GTAs, however there are some exceptions in some missions, such as [[Messing with the Man]]).
 
   
==Other Tips==
+
===Six Stars===
  +
*Police: Army units, Police Officers, SWAT
  +
*Vehicles: Barracks, Police Maverick, Rhinos, Hydra, Predator, News Chopper, Police Cars, Ranger (rural areas)
  +
*Threat: Extreme
   
  +
At six stars, the FBI will refer the matter to the [[military]], and all civilians will be replaced with army personnel to give chase in [[Barracks OL]] trucks and [[Rhino]] tanks, making travel in ordinary vehicles extremely hazardous, if not outright impossible. Civilians have almost completely disappeared from the streets at this point (in ''GTA Liberty City Stories'', however, there are still lots of pedestrians in the general vicinity).
: Your getaway vehicle you're driving in is important:
 
  +
:* On a 2 to 4 star wanted level, a sport (also a muscle or a tuner) car is a better vehicle to be used as it's speed easily outruns any police vehicles or you could go into any restaurant or anything you could go inside and lay low for a while.
 
  +
The soldiers drive recklessly and bid to ram the player until their health becomes empty (or off-road if in a vehicle when it comes to Barracks OL), this is extremely dangerous with Rhinos since when the tanks ram any vehicles operated by the player (except another Rhino), they will be destroyed instantly thus [[Wasted|killing]] the player inside (in ''GTA San Andreas'', the vehicle catches on fire for a few seconds, giving the player time to get out of their vehicle before it explodes).
:* On a 5 star wanted level, where [[FBI Rancher]]s tend to knock you off the road, large vehicles like [[Dumper]], [[Bus]], [[Barracks OL|Barracks]] or other large vehicles are recommended since its size means it isn't easy to be pushed around.
 
  +
:* On a 6 star wanted level, a [[Rhino]] is your last hope of running away from being "Busted" since any vehicles that runs into it will simply explode and its cannon can destroy anything (including Rhinos, if shot repeatedly, usually take 1 or sometimes 2 shots to destroy it, this depends on where you shot at).
 
  +
Roadblocks now consist of Barracks OL trucks. Police helicopters will still appear and aggressively fly towards the player's location. Soldiers carry [[Carbine Rifle|M16s]], [[MP5]]s or [[Carbine Rifle|M4s]] depending on the game. In ''GTA San Andreas'', they may also carry [[Pistol|pistols]] (like in the mission [[Robbing Uncle Sam]] and its occurrence is rare) and [[Pump Action Shotgun|shotguns]] (this is somewhat strange because they never use it in a gunfight).
:* A slow vehicle is not, for obvious reasons, recommended for a 2 to 6 star wanted level.
 
  +
:* If you are skilled at driving a motorcycle, however, using a [[PCJ-600]] or, in San Andreas, the [[NRG-500]] can often be the best choice as the fast bikes allow overland travel and jumping and speed that can facilitate escapes to save points or other safety areas.
 
  +
Unlike in the story mode where enemies miss quite often, the soldiers are incredibly accurate where gunfights are considered suicide as they will take the player down very fast especially on foot (like the FBI at five stars).
:
 
  +
  +
It is difficult to attain a 6-star wanted level without the use of cheats, given the difficulty of surviving the 4 and 5 star wanted levels for any length of time.
  +
  +
These actions will merit six stars:
  +
*Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement.
  +
*Continuing to cause collateral damage.
  +
*Entering the "'''[[Cheats in GTA San Andreas|BRINGITON]]'''" cheat or any other type of cheat that would enable all six stars in ''GTA San Andreas''.
  +
*Entering the [[Securicar]] in the ''GTA III'' mission [[Decoy]]. The military does not pursue the player as Police cars and SWAT vans will pursue the player instead, most likely in order to make the mission easier to complete as the van needs to be kept intact for as long as possible. However, Barracks OL trucks will still appear as roadblocks.
  +
  +
==Losing a Wanted Level==
  +
Wanted stars can be lost by:
  +
*Going to the nearest [[safehouse]] or save point and saving the game. In ''GTA III'' and ''GTA Vice City'', the game will need to be loaded again for the loss of any wanted level to take effect.
  +
*Finding and collecting [[Police Bribes|police bribes]].
  +
*Respraying the [[Vehicles|car]] in any [[Pay 'n' Spray]] garage. This does not work with certain vehicles, however, such as Emergency Vehicles, with the exception of any FBI vehicle. In ''GTA III'', the full wanted level immediately clears up, but in the other games, the wanted stars will flash, signifying that the player's full wanted level has been suspended, which will give the player a probationary time period to avoid attracting any police attention; committing any more crimes during this time period will immediately reinstate the full wanted level and resume the chase. As long as the player doesn't commit any crimes, the full wanted level clears up and the authorities call off the chase.
  +
*If the player has a one star wanted level, they can go to an alley or a remote place where people aren't usually seen; after a short while, the star will go away on its own. However, this becomes more difficult in the later stages of ''GTA San Andreas'', when there is a greater police presence in Los Santos, such as during the [[Los Santos Riots]].
  +
*Entering any safehouse and changing clothes in ''GTA San Andreas'' and ''GTA Vice City''. Note that this will not work in ''GTA Vice City'' if the player attains a 3-star wanted level or higher; once the player exits the safehouse, they will likely find it surrounded by police.
  +
*Starting a [[Schools in GTA San Andreas|vehicle school]] lesson (except for [[Boat School]]) will clear all the wanted stars in ''GTA San Andreas''. The player can then exit the lesson and safely return to free-roam gameplay.
  +
*Going to any clothing shop and changing clothes in ''GTA San Andreas''.
  +
*In ''GTA San Andreas'', Carl is able to [[Mod Garages|modify]] his car in [[TransFender]], [[Loco Low Co.]] and [[Wheel Arch Angels]]; one modification (such as one respray) will make the stars flash. Any other modifications done while the stars are already flashing will make them disappear.
  +
*By starting the [[Freight Train Challenge|freight train challenge]], the triggered wanted level will instantly disappear.
  +
*In ''GTA San Andreas'', if Carl enters a region that has not yet been unlocked, receiving the immediate 4-star wanted level, and then re-entering the unlocked region, it drops to 3 stars.
  +
*In ''GTA San Andreas'', it is also possible to lose a star by shaking off the pursuing cops, which is quite possible to do in remote regions, even on a higher wanted level.
  +
*In ''GTA San Andreas'', by going to an airport and buying a plane ticket to another city.
  +
*After completing a mission, all stars will be gone. However, there are exceptions with some missions, such as [[Messing with the Man]] and [[Outrider]].
  +
*Starting a [[Gang Warfare in GTA San Andreas|Gang War]] in the remastered edition of ''GTA San Andreas'' (likely a glitch, as this does not occur in the PlayStation 2, Xbox, or PC versions).
  +
*Entering the "[[Cheats in GTA Vice City|LEAVEMEALONE]]" cheat (in ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City|GTA Vice City]]'').
  +
*Entering the "[[Cheats in GTA San Andreas|TURNDOWNTHEHEAT]]" cheat (in ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|GTA San Andreas]]'').
   
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
  +
===General===
* In Vice City Stories, sometimes you can get arrested without having any stars; punch the air in front of a cop, and he will think you hit him. While no stars appear, the cop will kick you to the ground and bust you (Note: will not always work.)
 
  +
*In almost all 3D Universe games (except ''San Andreas'' and ''Advance''), if the player slightly bumps their car to a police officer rather than straightly crashing at them, there will be no wanted level obtained; if they do this until the officer is dead, the wanted level won't be attained (confirmed on PC and mobile versions).
* In GTA Vice City, if you enter a building, exiting it will cause all cops chasing you to appear in front of the building.
 
  +
*While inside a restricted area, the wanted level acquired cannot be lost; when triggering a cheat to lower it, the player will instantly re-acquire the wanted level. The only way to lose it is to use the "Lock Wanted Level" cheat.
* There are instances in San Andreas that if you do not stop running while your 2-star Wanted Level changes into a 3-star, a police chopper can appear on the ground as if its rotors are the only thing revealed.
 
  +
**This also happens when the player displays a firearm inside the police station and enters a cheat unless its final letter chooses a weapon that does not gain a wanted level or goes outside.
* In GTA San Andreas, if you have a 4 star wanted level or higher and use the "turndowntheheat" cheat and get another wanted level under 3 stars, any SWAT, Army or FBI in the area will not go after you or shoot you. Although if you attain a 1 star wanted level, the closest law enforcement officer will try to take you down with their fists even if CJ is displaying a firearm.
 
  +
**In ''GTA San Andreas'', doing this will lead to the instant appearance of a 1-star wanted level. If the player does this while already having a 1-star wanted level, it will occasionally raise up to two stars. It is unknown whether this is intended behavior or a game glitch/developer's oversight.
* The police officer that is spawned at 2-4 star will usually continue to drive in their vehicle even if the car catches fire, which can be dangerous to player.
 
  +
* The police officers of the LCPD in [[Grand Theft Auto III|GTA III]] will come at the player with fists instead of a nightstick at a one star wanted level, making them the only police force in the [[3D Universe]] to do this.
 
  +
===''Grand Theft Auto III''===
* In the mission [[Decoy]] in which the player obtains six star wanted level, [[Rhino]] tanks and [[Barracks OL]] trucks do not pursue the player as [[Police Car|Police cars]] and [[Enforcer|SWAT vans]] will pursue the player instead. This is most likely in order to make the mission easier to complete as the van needs to be kept intact for as long as possible. However [[Barracks OL]] trucks will still appear as roadblocks.   
 
  +
*If Claude enters gang territory with a 1-star wanted level, gangs that are normally hostile towards him will not attack. However, if the wanted level reaches 2 stars, gangs will become hostile as they would under normal circumstances.
  +
  +
===''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City''===
  +
*If Tommy shoots down a pursuing Police Maverick, and is busted or wasted near the same moment the Maverick explodes, Tommy will sometimes automatically regain a 4-star wanted level if he respawns at a Police Station or Hospital in the vicinity of the wrecked Maverick.
  +
*If the player has entered a building, exiting it will cause all cops chasing them to appear in front of the building.
  +
*Sometimes if Tommy Vercetti gets arrested, Ken Rosenberg can be heard saying something about having Tommy get out of the police station, such as ''"Tommy Vercetti is an innocent man"''.
  +
  +
===''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas''===
  +
*It is even possible to obtain a 5 or 6-star wanted level early in the game before completing the mission [[The Green Sabre]] without the use of cheats. If the player continues attacking pedestrians and police officers with their weapons while having at least four wanted stars without being Wasted or Busted, there is a chance that the wanted level will eventually raise up to five or even a six-star wanted level.
  +
*It is possible to obtain between 4 and 6 stars by knocking a [[Motor Officer|police biker]] off a [[HPV-1000|police bike]] many times. This is easily done in the railway tunnel near [[Market Station]], [[Unity Station]], [[Cranberry Station]], [[Foster Valley]] and [[Las Colinas]].
  +
*Driving a train such as the [[Brown Streak]] or [[Freight]] will allow the player to almost indefinitely withstand police, as trains are indestructible and unstoppable. There is also a police bribe on the railroad tracks in San Fierro, allowing the player to reduce their wanted level. However, due to these trains' notoriously slow acceleration, the player may still be chased down and busted trying to accelerate away from an on-foot officer.
  +
*There are instances that, if the player does not stop running while the 2-star Wanted Level changes into a 3-star, a police chopper can appear on the ground as if its rotors are the only thing revealed.
  +
*If the player attains a 4-star wanted level or higher and use the "TURNDOWNTHEHEAT" cheat and get another wanted level under 3 stars, any SWAT, Army or FBI in the area will not go after them or shoot at them. Although if the player attains a 1-star wanted level, the closest law enforcement officer will try to take them down with their fists even if CJ is displaying a firearm.
  +
**However, if Carl shoots or kills a soldier and SWAT member with a firearm, it will give a two-star wanted level like regular police (the FBI however, one can only attain it if they kill at least two agents with a firearm or explosive weapons or four-five for the melee weapons).
  +
**The enemy Hydras that spawn at 4 stars or higher will still attempt to chase and shoot down the player's aircraft if the wanted level is lowered down to 3, but they will fly away once the player further decreases the wanted level to under 3 stars.
  +
*The police officer that is spawned at 2-6 stars will usually continue to drive in their vehicle even if the car catches fire, which can be dangerous to the player.
  +
*If the player gets a 1-star wanted level while being in a building and then leave it, a police officer will spawn outside and will use his fists instead of his nightstick, and won't shoot at the player even if they have a weapon, and he won't be able to [[busted|bust]] Carl; he will instead pull him out of his car like the player or a NPC would do.
  +
* The Hydra that spawns on 4-6 stars does not have a pedestrian piloting them, despite being a [[military]]-exclusive vehicle.
  +
**This can also happen on [[Police Maverick]] and [[VCN Maverick|News Chopper]] (with the latter despite being a news helicopter).
  +
*When going out of the interior and the player has 2-6 stars, police officers that spawn in front of the building will shoot at the player. They will continue to shoot even when the player entered the cheat to remove or disable a wanted level.
  +
**In addition, police cars will also spawn, but they are locked.
  +
*During a gang war, the wanted level will not raise when the player shoots civilians or even pursuing police officers. It will only be raised after killing an officer, who was not pursuing the player (or who stopped pursuing the player when the gang war started).
  +
  +
===''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories''===
  +
*Sometimes the player could get arrested without having any stars; punch the air in front of a cop, and he will consider Victor is hitting him. While no stars appear, the cop will knock Vic to the ground and make his arrest (this will not always work).
  +
*The Rhino tank that spawns cannot be driven or entered until the mission [[Over the Top|Over The Top]] is completed, except if a cheat is used.
   
[[nl:Wanted-level]]
 
[[Category:Features]]
 
[[Category:Features in GTA III]]
 
[[Category:Features in GTA Vice City]]
 
[[Category:Features in GTA San Andreas]]
 
[[Category:Features in GTA Advance]]
 
 
[[Category:Features in GTA Liberty City Stories]]
 
[[Category:Features in GTA Liberty City Stories]]
[[Category:Features in GTA Vice City Stories]]
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[[Category:Features in GTA Advance]]
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[[Category:Features in GTA San Andreas]]
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[[Category:Features in GTA Vice City]]
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[[Category:Features in GTA III]]
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[[Category:3D Universe]]
 
[[Category:Wanted Level]]
 
[[Category:Wanted Level]]
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[[Category:Game Mechanics]]
 
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[[nl:Wanted-level]]
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[[pl:Zła sława]]
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[[ru:Уровень розыска во вселенной 3D]]

Latest revision as of 18:38, 13 March 2024

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It has been suggested to split this article into two or more articles.
The reason given is: Dedicated articles for each game is required, as it is case for other wanted level pages.

3D Wanted

A 3-star wanted level in GTA Vice City.

GTATrilogyDE-GTAIII-Screenshot5

Claude escaping the police in a Banshee in Grand Theft Auto III.

The Wanted Level tells the player how much police attention they're getting. As the player's wanted level increases, more powerful forms and a greater quantity of law enforcement will pursue them.

Gameplay

In the 3D Universe, a wanted level is measured on a six-star scale. When the player begins committing several minor crimes in a quick succession, such as beating pedestrians up or destroying cars, then the bar will go up by one star. As the player continues their spree, the stars accordingly increase.

With at least one star, nearby police will give chase to arrest the player. If they are successful, then the "Busted" message will appear, any mission the player was on will fail (similarly to if the player is wasted), and the player is transported to the nearest police station, stripped of all weapons and a small amount of money, ranging from $200–2,000 (or $1,000 in Grand Theft Auto III). Weapons, however, may not be confiscated in certain circumstances such as in GTA San Andreas when dating Barbara Schternvart. In GTA Vice City Stories, the player is also given the option to 'buy back' his weapons. As the 10th anniversary rendition of GTA III, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas were released on iOS, Android, and Windows phone, the player won't lose any weapons, regardless how many times they have been busted.

Wanted Level Limit

GTA III, GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA San Andreas implement a limit to the wanted levels early in the game; for the first part of the game, the maximum level attainable is four stars (with the exception of entering "5-star" no fly zones); Later, when the player can access Staunton Island/San Fierro, a five-star level can be attained.

The "coveted" six-star level does not become available until much later in the game, or until the player can access Shoreside Vale/Las Venturas, respectively.

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, the maximum wanted level is also limited to four stars at the beginning of the game, though the limit unlocking is not as related to gaining access to locations as in the other games. In the former game, a five-star level is obtainable when the player can access Starfish Island, and in GTA Vice City Stories after the player can build an empire.

The ultimate six-star level is only available after taking over Diaz's Mansion in Vice City, while the latter game allows attaining such a level after the player can access the Vice City Beach and Prawn Island.

Wanted Levels

One Star

  • Police: 2 officers on foot.
  • Vehicles: Police Cars, HPV-1000, Ranger (rural areas)
  • Threat: Low - Medium

Any police officers, that spot the player, will give chase in an attempt to apprehend them. In all 3D Universe games, bar GTA Advance and GTA Vice City Stories, only one officer at a time will actually pursue the player.

All other officers in the area will simply walk or stand idly until the pursuing officer is either killed and/or out of the player's range. The police will attempt to knock the player down with their fists (in GTA III and GTA Advance) and nightsticks (in other 3D Universe games). They also shoot if they are threatened by the player. An exception to this rule is if the protagonist is inaccessible to the police officer; for example, if the player is standing on top of a vehicle, he will pull out his gun and start shooting (in GTA San Andreas, officers will shoot at Carl if he is holding a firearm or explosives). Any existing Police cars will start to chase down the player, but not aggressively, however the occupants will exit their vehicle, and begin a foot chase when they get too close.

In GTA San Andreas and GTA Vice City Stories, police bikes also chase the player, their drivers shoot at the player in GTA San Andreas, and Rangers chase the player instead of police cars/bikes when Carl is in the countryside/desert.

A one-star wanted level originates from committing the following minor crimes. Many of these will not immediately result in a wanted level unless a police officer is physically around to witness them and/or multiple offenses are committed in quick succession:

  • Planting a Satchel Charge in public (GTA San Andreas).
  • Attacking and/or killing pedestrians in public.
  • Attacking a police officer without firearms, and/or knocking them over in a car without killing them.
  • Damaging and/or destroying a vehicle in public.
  • Attacking and/or shooting a police vehicle (always results in a wanted level even when out of sight, doesn't trigger with the Police Maverick and/or FBI/Army vehicles).
  • Crashing, and/or even touching, into a police vehicle (crashing a parked police vehicle will not result in a wanted level)
  • Using a weapon in public (including drive-by shooting).
  • Revving a chainsaw in public (GTA Vice City).
  • Carjacking and/or stealing parked vehicles within a certain proximity from a police officer (no wanted level is given if the vehicle is locked, including police cars).
  • Attempting to steal a police vehicle with an officer inside.
  • Starting a gang shootout in public (more stars can be attained if the player continues to shoot at gang members).
  • Driving a stolen vehicle with the alarm going off near an officer.
  • Having sex with prostitutes in a car when a patrolling police officer or vehicle is nearby (GTA San Andreas).
  • Robbing stores for the minimum amount of cash (GTA Vice City).
  • Attacking a casino guard (GTA San Andreas; the player can get more stars if they continue).
  • Running over a police officer with a vehicle (GTA Vice City usually gives two stars, but can give one star in some cases).
  • Pushing a gas cylinder onto the streets, causing an explosion when a vehicle runs over it (GTA San Andreas).
  • Using thrown weapons (GTA San Andreas, sometimes even when there is no witness around the player).
  • Detonating a car armed with bomb in public (can get more stars if the explosion causes mass damage).
  • Spraying gang tags when an officer is around (GTA San Andreas).
  • Killing a valet while not in the Valet parking mission (GTA San Andreas).
  • After killing Mike Forelli in the GTA III mission Mike Lips Last Lunch (only if there is a nearby Police Officer and/or a police car that was parked near the player at the bistro beforehand due to a glitch).
  • Smashing five windows during the mission Shakedown (GTA Vice City).
  • Entering the "HOPINGIRL" cheat near a cop while the player is in a police vehicle (GTA Vice City).
  • Killing an FBI agent with a firearm.
  • Stealing the parked HPV-1000's in the mission Cop Wheels (GTA San Andreas).
  • Upon completing the mission Dam and Blast (GTA San Andreas).

Two Stars

  • Police: 1-3 officers
  • Vehicles: 2 Police Cars, HPV-1000, Predator, Ranger (rural areas)
  • Threat: Medium

At a two-star wanted level, the police will start actively searching for the player. Officers now shoot to kill, even if the player is unarmed. Personnel in cars spawn and aggressively give chase rather than simply follow behind to overtake or spin the player out. On water, armed police boats give chase.

Two stars are attained by:

  • Aiming a gun at a police officer (in GTA San Andreas, doing so will get only one star).
  • Injuring and/or killing 2 or more police officers (in some games, even killing only one is usually enough).
  • Attacking and/or killing a police officer, SWAT, or military personnel with a firearm (sometimes a one star wanted level is attained).
  • Attacking and/or killing a police officer with a knife, machete, katana or chainsaw (GTA Vice City).
  • Killing a police officer on foot or in vehicle with a sniper rifle.
  • Killing many people in a short space of time (more stars can be attained if the player continues).
  • Killing Gonzalez during the mission Treacherous Swine (GTA Vice City).
  • Killing Pierre La Ponce during the mission Mall Shootout (GTA Vice City).
  • Smashing ten windows during the mission Shakedown (GTA Vice City).
  • Stealing the van during the mission Cannon Fodder (GTA Vice City).
  • Collecting the first briefcase during the mission Juju Scramble (GTA Vice City).
  • Destroying many vehicles at once (more stars can be attained if the explosion causes too much damage).
  • Crashing into a fuel pump at a gas station (on GTA San Andreas, doing so will get only one star).
  • Destroying any aircraft (including Vortex) in GTA San Andreas (sometimes gives 4 stars right away if a 2-star wanted level had been attained previously).
  • Continuing to rob a store after the employee drops three money packs (GTA Vice City).
  • Trespassing in the Washington Beach Police Station (GTA Vice City, unless wearing the cop uniform).
  • Continuing to attack a dead cop: this includes beating, shoot, and/or detonating explosives next to his corpse. Running over the corpse with a car may also contribute to a two-star wanted level.
  • Transporting a criminal during the Taxi Driver mission (GTA Vice City Stories).
  • Can happen while smashing a shop's stock for the Protection Racket side mission (Vice City Stories).
  • After killing Casa during the mission Dead Meat (GTA Liberty City Stories).
  • Attempting to steal a Money Truck for the Robbery side mission (GTA Vice City Stories).
  • Entering "YOUWONTTAKEMEALIVE" and/or similar cheat codes in other platforms in GTA Vice City.
  • Entering "TURNUPTHEHEAT" and/or similar cheat codes in other platforms in GTA San Andreas.
  • After collecting at least three crates before alerting the house owner, and/or if the player fails the mission Home Invasion (GTA San Andreas).
  • After finishing off the Ballas gang members during the mission Drive-By. (GTA San Andreas)
  • During the shootout at the cemetery in the mission Los Sepulcros (GTA San Andreas).
  • Failing to bury the foreman in time during the mission Deconstruction (GTA San Andreas).
  • Upon completing the mission Jizzy (GTA San Andreas).
  • During the mission Test Drive, when Carl races with Cesar Vialpando in stolen cars (GTA San Andreas).
  • During the mission Architectural Espionage, after causing a fire at the Las Venturas City Planning Department and taking a picture of Caligula's Palace blueprint (GTA San Andreas).
  • Stealing the moving HPV-1000's in the mission Cop Wheels (GTA San Andreas).
  • Killing a casino guard (GTA San Andreas).
  • Entering the LSPD HQ, LVPD HQ, or Countryside Police Department while carrying a firearm, explosives or camera (GTA San Andreas).

Three Stars

  • Police: 2-4 Officers, SWAT, Vice Squad
  • Vehicles: 2-3 Police Cars, Police Maverick, Predator, Cheetah, Ranger (rural areas)
  • Threat: Medium - High

At a three-star wanted level, pursuing police vehicles become even more aggressive, driving at maximum speed and will occasionally set up armed roadblocks on main roads. Police bikes don't chase the player anymore but a police helicopter is called in to provide air support. They will shine a light and start shooting with a machine gun; from GTA Vice City onwards, they will also rappel SWAT members down to the player's location and now join the chase. They wear full body armor and are armed with Uzi sub-machine guns.

In GTA San Andreas, if Carl is on foot and is spotted by a police car, one officer will use a Pump Action Shotgun. Additionally, in GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, undercover Vice Squad detectives armed with Uzis and driving Cheetahs also give chase.

In GTA Vice City, GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories, patrolling police officers will deploy Spike Strips from the side of the road, intent on puncturing the tires of the car the player's in.

Three stars are attained by:

  • Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement (avoiding being arrested or killed by any means).
  • Continuing to cause collateral damage (killing civilians and/or destroying vehicles by any means).
  • Robbing stores for the maximum amount of cash (GTA Vice City).
  • Blowing up an AI controlled full-winged Dodo in GTA Vice City.
  • Entering police impound garages (GTA San Andreas, the player will only attain a 3-star wanted level if an officer guarding the impound garage calls for backup.)
  • After robbing a bank during the mission The Getaway (GTA III).
  • Driving the decoy van during the mission Money for Nothing (GTA Vice City Stories).
  • Trafficking drugs in the Drug Running side mission (GTA Vice City Stories).
  • Failing to flee a house after being caught during the Burglary side mission in GTA San Andreas.
  • After all crates are collected in the mission Catalyst (GTA San Andreas).
  • Killing the bank guard during the mission Small Town Bank (GTA San Andreas).
  • After reaching the checkpoint during the mission Driving Mr Leone (GTA Liberty City Stories).
  • Stealing the Squalo during the mission The Fastest Boat (GTA Vice City).
  • Stealing the tank during the mission Sir, Yes Sir! (GTA Vice City).
  • Smashing fifteen windows during the mission Shakedown (GTA Vice City).
  • Rescuing Vincenzo's men in the mission Smash and Grab (GTA Liberty City Stories).
  • After collecting Vincenzo's Car during the mission Hot Wheels (GTA Liberty City Stories).
  • Delivering goods during Mission 3 & 6 of the Trucking side mission (GTA San Andreas).
  • Trucking hot goods in the Trucking side mission (GTA San Andreas).
  • Upon leaving Easter Bay Airport with Mike Toreno and T-Bone Mendez during the mission Mike Toreno (GTA San Andreas).
  • Upon completing the mission Outrider (GTA San Andreas).
  • Driving the Feltzer with Johnny Sindacco tied to the hood on the Julius Thruway during the mission Fender Ketchup (GTA San Andreas).

Four Stars

  • Police: Police Officers, 4 SWAT
  • Vehicles: Enforcer, Police Cars, Police Maverick, Hydra, Predator, News Chopper, Ranger (rural areas)
  • Threat: High

At a four-star wanted level, SWAT teams will give chase in armored vans. Roadblocks now consist of these heavier and larger SWAT vans, making them more difficult to ram through.

In GTA San Andreas, the police helicopter is joined by a News Chopper (which is replaced by another Police Maverick when shot down), and up to two Hydras that will pursue and attempt to shoot down the player if they are flying an aircraft or a helicopter.

Four stars are attained by:

  • Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement.
  • Continuing to cause collateral damage.
  • Planting a Satchel Charge on a Police Helicopter.
  • Attempting to enter and/or fly over a city or any territory of it that has not yet been unlocked in the storyline in GTA San Andreas.
    • Note: if the player returns to Los Santos shortly after entering the city that is not unlocked, the four-star wanted level will decrease to a three-star wanted level.
  • Blowing up an AI controlled full winged Dodo in GTA III.
  • Smashing twenty windows during the mission Shakedown (GTA Vice City).
  • Attacking the two soldiers guarding the café during the mission Cop Land (GTA Vice City).
  • Collecting all the briefcases during the mission Naval Engagement (GTA Vice City).
  • Collecting the second briefcase during the mission Juju Scramble (GTA Vice City).
  • After robbing the Inside Track betting shop in the GTA San Andreas mission Against All Odds.
  • After leaving the Las Venturas City Planning Department in the GTA San Andreas mission Architectural Espionage.
  • Blowing up the police helicopter which appears at a three star wanted level (not to be confused with the player-operable Police Maverick).
  • Entering the restricted area of El Banco Corrupto Grande in GTA Vice City.
  • Engaging in the Smuggling side mission in GTA Vice City Stories.
  • Trucking very hot goods (mission 8) in the Trucking side mission in GTA San Andreas.
  • Blowing up all police cars and killing all officers that appear in a Roadblock.

Five Stars

  • Police: Police Officers, 2-4 FBI Agents, SWAT
  • Vehicles: Unmarked FBI Vehicle, Police Maverick, Hydra, Predator, News Chopper, Police Cars, Ranger (rural areas)
  • Threat: High - Extreme

At a five-star wanted level, the local police are supplanted (replaced) by FBI agents which takes over a majority of the chase (local police will still chase the player if they see them and police officers on foot endlessly spawn when the player is on foot in GTA San Andreas).

The streets begins to clear of civilians (in GTA Liberty City Stories, however, there are still lots of pedestrians in the area). Four-FBI teams of heavily armed and armored agents drive armored unmarked cars and SUVs and make for formidable opponents. The FBI agents are armed with AK-47s and 9mm handguns in GTA III and MP5s in later games.

Their driving is considered extremely aggressive, and they opt to ram the player's vehicle head on at high speed and then batter it to pieces before one can recover. In GTA III, the pursuing police helicopter is joined by a second, and both stick to the player doggedly and fire at the protagonist whenever they get the chance. The roadblocks now consist of FBI vehicles, which are harder to ram through. Their MP5s are accurate which means travelling on foot is dangerous and when encountering a roadblock, it will tear through most vehicles fairly quickly. The waters are also saturated with Predators at this wanted level. At five stars, little to no police cars will appear on the road.

From this wanted level, the police will also become aggressive and surround the player's building if the player intends to flee inside the building.

Five stars are attained by:

  • Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement.
  • Continuing to cause collateral damage.
  • Smashing all windows during the mission Shakedown (GTA Vice City).
  • Entering the North Point Mall without wearing a cop outfit during the mission Cop Land (GTA Vice City).
  • Blowing up the café during the mission Cop Land (GTA Vice City).
  • Taking photos of Alex Shrub during the mission Martha's Mug Shot (GTA Vice City).
  • Collecting the third briefcase during the mission Juju Scramble (GTA Vice City).
  • Entering and/or flying over the Easter Basin Naval Station in GTA San Andreas.
  • Entering and/or flying over the Area 69 research base in GTA San Andreas. Doing this will result not only in the wanted level, but also attack from SAM Sites (Note: the player will only attain a five-star wanted level if they fly low enough to the base).

Six Stars

  • Police: Army units, Police Officers, SWAT
  • Vehicles: Barracks, Police Maverick, Rhinos, Hydra, Predator, News Chopper, Police Cars, Ranger (rural areas)
  • Threat: Extreme

At six stars, the FBI will refer the matter to the military, and all civilians will be replaced with army personnel to give chase in Barracks OL trucks and Rhino tanks, making travel in ordinary vehicles extremely hazardous, if not outright impossible. Civilians have almost completely disappeared from the streets at this point (in GTA Liberty City Stories, however, there are still lots of pedestrians in the general vicinity).

The soldiers drive recklessly and bid to ram the player until their health becomes empty (or off-road if in a vehicle when it comes to Barracks OL), this is extremely dangerous with Rhinos since when the tanks ram any vehicles operated by the player (except another Rhino), they will be destroyed instantly thus killing the player inside (in GTA San Andreas, the vehicle catches on fire for a few seconds, giving the player time to get out of their vehicle before it explodes).

Roadblocks now consist of Barracks OL trucks. Police helicopters will still appear and aggressively fly towards the player's location. Soldiers carry M16s, MP5s or M4s depending on the game. In GTA San Andreas, they may also carry pistols (like in the mission Robbing Uncle Sam and its occurrence is rare) and shotguns (this is somewhat strange because they never use it in a gunfight).

Unlike in the story mode where enemies miss quite often, the soldiers are incredibly accurate where gunfights are considered suicide as they will take the player down very fast especially on foot (like the FBI at five stars).

It is difficult to attain a 6-star wanted level without the use of cheats, given the difficulty of surviving the 4 and 5 star wanted levels for any length of time.

These actions will merit six stars:

  • Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement.
  • Continuing to cause collateral damage.
  • Entering the "BRINGITON" cheat or any other type of cheat that would enable all six stars in GTA San Andreas.
  • Entering the Securicar in the GTA III mission Decoy. The military does not pursue the player as Police cars and SWAT vans will pursue the player instead, most likely in order to make the mission easier to complete as the van needs to be kept intact for as long as possible. However, Barracks OL trucks will still appear as roadblocks.

Losing a Wanted Level

Wanted stars can be lost by:

  • Going to the nearest safehouse or save point and saving the game. In GTA III and GTA Vice City, the game will need to be loaded again for the loss of any wanted level to take effect.
  • Finding and collecting police bribes.
  • Respraying the car in any Pay 'n' Spray garage. This does not work with certain vehicles, however, such as Emergency Vehicles, with the exception of any FBI vehicle. In GTA III, the full wanted level immediately clears up, but in the other games, the wanted stars will flash, signifying that the player's full wanted level has been suspended, which will give the player a probationary time period to avoid attracting any police attention; committing any more crimes during this time period will immediately reinstate the full wanted level and resume the chase. As long as the player doesn't commit any crimes, the full wanted level clears up and the authorities call off the chase.
  • If the player has a one star wanted level, they can go to an alley or a remote place where people aren't usually seen; after a short while, the star will go away on its own. However, this becomes more difficult in the later stages of GTA San Andreas, when there is a greater police presence in Los Santos, such as during the Los Santos Riots.
  • Entering any safehouse and changing clothes in GTA San Andreas and GTA Vice City. Note that this will not work in GTA Vice City if the player attains a 3-star wanted level or higher; once the player exits the safehouse, they will likely find it surrounded by police.
  • Starting a vehicle school lesson (except for Boat School) will clear all the wanted stars in GTA San Andreas. The player can then exit the lesson and safely return to free-roam gameplay.
  • Going to any clothing shop and changing clothes in GTA San Andreas.
  • In GTA San Andreas, Carl is able to modify his car in TransFender, Loco Low Co. and Wheel Arch Angels; one modification (such as one respray) will make the stars flash. Any other modifications done while the stars are already flashing will make them disappear.
  • By starting the freight train challenge, the triggered wanted level will instantly disappear.
  • In GTA San Andreas, if Carl enters a region that has not yet been unlocked, receiving the immediate 4-star wanted level, and then re-entering the unlocked region, it drops to 3 stars.
  • In GTA San Andreas, it is also possible to lose a star by shaking off the pursuing cops, which is quite possible to do in remote regions, even on a higher wanted level.
  • In GTA San Andreas, by going to an airport and buying a plane ticket to another city.
  • After completing a mission, all stars will be gone. However, there are exceptions with some missions, such as Messing with the Man and Outrider.
  • Starting a Gang War in the remastered edition of GTA San Andreas (likely a glitch, as this does not occur in the PlayStation 2, Xbox, or PC versions).
  • Entering the "LEAVEMEALONE" cheat (in GTA Vice City).
  • Entering the "TURNDOWNTHEHEAT" cheat (in GTA San Andreas).

Trivia

General

  • In almost all 3D Universe games (except San Andreas and Advance), if the player slightly bumps their car to a police officer rather than straightly crashing at them, there will be no wanted level obtained; if they do this until the officer is dead, the wanted level won't be attained (confirmed on PC and mobile versions).
  • While inside a restricted area, the wanted level acquired cannot be lost; when triggering a cheat to lower it, the player will instantly re-acquire the wanted level. The only way to lose it is to use the "Lock Wanted Level" cheat.
    • This also happens when the player displays a firearm inside the police station and enters a cheat unless its final letter chooses a weapon that does not gain a wanted level or goes outside.
    • In GTA San Andreas, doing this will lead to the instant appearance of a 1-star wanted level. If the player does this while already having a 1-star wanted level, it will occasionally raise up to two stars. It is unknown whether this is intended behavior or a game glitch/developer's oversight.

Grand Theft Auto III

  • If Claude enters gang territory with a 1-star wanted level, gangs that are normally hostile towards him will not attack. However, if the wanted level reaches 2 stars, gangs will become hostile as they would under normal circumstances.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

  • If Tommy shoots down a pursuing Police Maverick, and is busted or wasted near the same moment the Maverick explodes, Tommy will sometimes automatically regain a 4-star wanted level if he respawns at a Police Station or Hospital in the vicinity of the wrecked Maverick.
  • If the player has entered a building, exiting it will cause all cops chasing them to appear in front of the building.
  • Sometimes if Tommy Vercetti gets arrested, Ken Rosenberg can be heard saying something about having Tommy get out of the police station, such as "Tommy Vercetti is an innocent man".

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

  • It is even possible to obtain a 5 or 6-star wanted level early in the game before completing the mission The Green Sabre without the use of cheats. If the player continues attacking pedestrians and police officers with their weapons while having at least four wanted stars without being Wasted or Busted, there is a chance that the wanted level will eventually raise up to five or even a six-star wanted level.
  • It is possible to obtain between 4 and 6 stars by knocking a police biker off a police bike many times. This is easily done in the railway tunnel near Market Station, Unity Station, Cranberry Station, Foster Valley and Las Colinas.
  • Driving a train such as the Brown Streak or Freight will allow the player to almost indefinitely withstand police, as trains are indestructible and unstoppable. There is also a police bribe on the railroad tracks in San Fierro, allowing the player to reduce their wanted level. However, due to these trains' notoriously slow acceleration, the player may still be chased down and busted trying to accelerate away from an on-foot officer.
  • There are instances that, if the player does not stop running while the 2-star Wanted Level changes into a 3-star, a police chopper can appear on the ground as if its rotors are the only thing revealed.
  • If the player attains a 4-star wanted level or higher and use the "TURNDOWNTHEHEAT" cheat and get another wanted level under 3 stars, any SWAT, Army or FBI in the area will not go after them or shoot at them. Although if the player attains a 1-star wanted level, the closest law enforcement officer will try to take them down with their fists even if CJ is displaying a firearm.
    • However, if Carl shoots or kills a soldier and SWAT member with a firearm, it will give a two-star wanted level like regular police (the FBI however, one can only attain it if they kill at least two agents with a firearm or explosive weapons or four-five for the melee weapons).
    • The enemy Hydras that spawn at 4 stars or higher will still attempt to chase and shoot down the player's aircraft if the wanted level is lowered down to 3, but they will fly away once the player further decreases the wanted level to under 3 stars.
  • The police officer that is spawned at 2-6 stars will usually continue to drive in their vehicle even if the car catches fire, which can be dangerous to the player.
  • If the player gets a 1-star wanted level while being in a building and then leave it, a police officer will spawn outside and will use his fists instead of his nightstick, and won't shoot at the player even if they have a weapon, and he won't be able to bust Carl; he will instead pull him out of his car like the player or a NPC would do.
  • The Hydra that spawns on 4-6 stars does not have a pedestrian piloting them, despite being a military-exclusive vehicle.
  • When going out of the interior and the player has 2-6 stars, police officers that spawn in front of the building will shoot at the player. They will continue to shoot even when the player entered the cheat to remove or disable a wanted level.
    • In addition, police cars will also spawn, but they are locked.
  • During a gang war, the wanted level will not raise when the player shoots civilians or even pursuing police officers. It will only be raised after killing an officer, who was not pursuing the player (or who stopped pursuing the player when the gang war started).

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

  • Sometimes the player could get arrested without having any stars; punch the air in front of a cop, and he will consider Victor is hitting him. While no stars appear, the cop will knock Vic to the ground and make his arrest (this will not always work).
  • The Rhino tank that spawns cannot be driven or entered until the mission Over The Top is completed, except if a cheat is used.