After a Decade of Fan Requests, The Burglar Makes a Comeback in The Sims 4

The Sims 4 has been out for a decade, but those of us who played the earlier games in the franchise remember the iconic burglar. Part of the joy of The Sims games is having something randomly go wrong, all the way from a kitchen fire to a meteor crashing through your roof. One of these random hazards was the burglar, who is finally making their triumphant return to the series with today’s free update.

The Sims fans have been requesting the return of the burglar for some time, as it’s a beloved hazard from all three of the previous games, and many simply modded it into the game with fan-created content.

The burglar, aptly named Robin Banks, is a sneaky thief who will wait until night to strike. If your Sim is a night owl, you may even be able to call the police in hopes of them arresting her. There are also burglar alarms Sims can buy and then upgrade to become even more efficient at stopping intruders. According to a dev diary, there are 50 unique reactions Sims can have to a burglar, from trying to fight them, to pulling out a freeze ray and immobilizing them.

Don’t worry — players of taste and refinement can befriend or even seduce Robin Banks, adding her to their household. If Robin becomes a roommate or tragically dies, she will be replaced by another Sim with similar traits.

There’s a surprising amount of cross-compatibility with other expansions. For instance, owning the Cats and Dogs expansion pack means you can simply own a dog to chase off Robin. A werewolf can intimidate a burglar into fleeing, while a vampire might just enjoy the free midnight snack. This is part of a promising trend with The Sims 4 overall. The upcoming expansion, Businesses and Hobbies, is similarly interactive with past expansions. Businesses and Hobbies is set to release on Mar. 6.