The best co-op heists I have been on were planned before anyone left the hideout. The team I run with spends 5 minutes planning and 10 minutes executing. Those 5 minutes save us from 20 minutes of prison time.

Pre-Heist Briefing Checklist

Before leaving the hideout, we confirm every item on this list:

• Target selected from job board or free-roam
• Security level assessed (locks, NPCs, alarms)
• Required tools confirmed for each team member
• Entry point identified (front, back, roof, window)
• Extraction point agreed (vehicle, alley, rooftop)
• Role assignments confirmed
• Communication channel set (in-game voice or Discord)
• Hard extraction limit agreed (time limit for aborting)

Target Selection

Not all houses are worth hitting in co-op. The payout from a single large house split 4 ways is sometimes less than running two medium houses simultaneously.

I prioritize houses with:

• Multiple floors (each player takes a floor for parallel looting)
• Electronic locks (needs the Hacker to handle while others loot)
• Confirmed high-value items from job board intel
• Multiple entry points (backup routes if primary entry fails)
• Low police response time (suburban houses away from main roads)

Gear Prep by Role

Each player should carry the right tools for their assigned role. Missing tools waste time on site and can force a team wipe.

Missing tools waste time on site. We double-check inventory before leaving the hideout. I have had runs where someone forgot their lockpick and we had to use the noisy crowbar on every door.

Entry and Loot Rotation

The rotation I have found most efficient:

1. Scout entry point (15 seconds) -- Lookout confirms no patrols
2. Lockpick entry (30 seconds) -- Lockpick opens door silently
3. Clear NPCs (2 minutes) -- Sleeping gas for patrols, cable ties for neutralized NPCs
4. Fan out and loot by priority (5 minutes) -- Hauler follows callouts, grabs high-value items
5. Call extraction (30 seconds) -- Driver arrives at pre-arranged point
6. Fence and split (5 minutes) -- Pool at hideout, split after selling

About 12-15 minutes per high-value house with a practiced team. Compare this to 20-25 minutes solo for the same house -- co-op efficiency is real.

Heist Execution: Roles in Action

Lockpick: Your first through the door. Open the primary entry silently, then move to disable any accessible alarm panels. Call out door types so the Hacker knows which locks need electronic bypass.

Lookout: Stay near windows and exterior doors. Watch patrol routes and call out NPC positions on the minimap. If a cop car enters the street, give a "hot" call and everyone freezes. The Lookout also marks safe hiding spots for emergency use.

Hauler: Follow the highest-value callouts. When the Lockpick finds a laptop, the Hauler grabs it. When the Hacker opens a safe, the Hauler takes the contents. The Hauler keeps track of the total haul and calls out when the value target is met.

Driver: Park the vehicle at the agreed extraction point. Keep the engine running but lights off. Monitor police radio frequencies if the game has that mechanic. Be ready to move on 10 seconds notice.

Extraction Protocols

Clean extraction is harder than the heist itself. I have lost more loot on the way out than during entry.

Extraction rules we follow:

• Everyone leaves at the same time -- no stragglers
• Driver flashes headlights twice as the signal
• Last person out closes doors behind them (reduces suspicion)
• Do not fence immediately -- drive to a safe spot first and check for tails
• Split at hideout, never on the street

Advanced: Multi-House Chains

Once your team is coordinated, chain 3-4 houses in one outing. Hit house A, drop loot at a safe spot, hit house B, repeat. This triples loot-per-run but requires good communication.

Multi-house chains work best with 4 players because you can leave one person as a mobile stash guard while the others clear houses. Rotate the stash guard role so no one gets bored.

Practical Example: Suburban Street Run

Here is a real run my team executed:

Our team of 4 targeted three adjacent houses in the suburban district. We assigned Lockpick, Lookout, Hauler, and Driver as above. The Lockpick cleared entry on house 1 in 45 seconds. The Hauler grabbed a laptop ($280) and tablet ($190) from the upstairs office while the Lookout watched the street. Total time for all three houses: 28 minutes. Total haul: $2,140. Split per player: $535 for 28 minutes of work.

Compare that to solo: the same three houses would take 60+ minutes solo and yield about $1,100 due to slower looting and fewer inventory slots.

Related Guides

• Co-op Strategy Guide -- role assignments and communication protocols
• Complete Tools Guide -- tool breakdown for each role
• Police System Guide -- evasion and detection mechanics