One of the more iconic (and dare way say long overdue) mechanics making a comeback for the 25th anniversary of The Sims was the return of the Burglar to The Sims 4. And now that the aptly-named Motherlode season is live, we can find out exactly what the thieving ne’er-do-well will be up to when they’re casing your Sim’s abode now that the Burglar is back in The Sims 4!
Banks, Robin Banks
Yes, it wouldn’t be The Sims without a groan-worthy pun for a name, and the Burglar’s return is now confirmed to be under the (hopefully pseudonymous) name of Robin Banks. We’ve also got more details on exactly how they’ll work mechanically, and while it’s not as extensive as some might’ve hoped there’s some interesting twists to be seen.
The Perfect(?) Heist
To begin, Robin will only make an appearance during the night when your Sims are asleep, where they’ll attempt to make off with whatever’s valuable. Naturally, if your Sims are on the ball they can hop out of bed and call the Cops, or if you want to take more proactive measures you can also install a Burglar Alarm to catch them without your Sim having to lift a finger.

Throwing Hands
But it doesn’t stop there. Now you can upgrade the Burglar Alarm to be more reliable, call the Cops for you and even zap the Burglar to cause them to drop their ill-gotten gains. And for those who take self-defence to the next level a Sim that’s been hitting the weights can even take on Robin in a full-on fist fight.
And there’s even more options too! Various expansions and their features have distinct interactions. Spellcasters can hex Robin into next week, Vampires can sneak a quick bite to eat, and even your humble pooch can hound them off your Lot.
Even beyond that there’s various fun reactions, with the dev diary listing the example of Teenagers snapping a selfie before running for safety when they encounter the Burglar. Hey, anything for social media fame huh?
Top-shelf Loot
I think it’s fair to say that the now that the Burglar is back in The Sims 4 it’s in a more full-fledged capacity than many anticipated. Whether it’s the 50 unique interactions across 17 different packs and 37 player-directed interactions too, this isn’t just some quick one-and-done easter egg but a bona fide great new addition.
If you’re feeling brave there’s even the Heist Havoc Lot Challenge. But just be careful, because not only will Robin make frequent appearances, she’ll also cause alarms to act up too.
A lifelong Maxis fan who grew up with SimCity 3000 and the lesser-known DS titles in the Sims catalogue, Iwan brings the obscure knowledge of things that have been and will be when it comes to The Sims.
