Part of the fun in Grand Theft Auto 5 is creating as much chaos in the open world city of Los Santos as possible. Players can use a myriad of weapons and vehicles to harm the NPCs who populate this city, and each one will react differently. However, acting in a way that breaks the law will cause the player to receive a wanted level, and that means the police will give chase.

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Avoiding being caught or incapacitated by the law and continuing to commit crimes along the way will cause this wanted level to rise, and more police to come after the protagonist in an action-packed sequence. Getting a high wanted level is easy, and there are plenty of ways to raise these stakes quickly for those looking for a tense and fun chase through Grand Theft Auto 5's vast open world.

6 Attacking Civilians In Front Of The Police

Assault Is Illegal

The citizens of Los Santos populate the world of Grand Theft Auto 5 to help make this video game world feel alive. Most of these people are everyday pedestrians on their way to work, the shops, or their homes. Either way, these civilians are mostly powerless to defend themselves. Luckily, they have the local police force wandering around to quickly offer them protection.

Attacking a pedestrian in GTA 5 will eventually result in a wanted star, as the police will finally get news that someone is in trouble. However, behave this way in front of a police officer on foot or in a vehicle, and the player will immediately receive a wanted star. Persisting with this method will eventually cause the wanted level to rise, so long as the player can withstand any oncoming attacks from the already aggravated police force.

5 Attacking A Police Officer

The Police Are More Trigger-Happy Than The Public

The citizens in GTA 5 are protected by the police, which is why many players may want to start raising their wanted level more quickly by cutting out the middle-man.

While the pedestrians in Los Santos may be an easy target, they are not the only NPCs who fill the open world in this game. The police officers who work tirelessly to protect the city that they work in are highly valued members of society. That is why aiming a weapon at one or simply attacking a police officer in Grand Theft Auto 5 is enough to instantly warrant a two-star wanted level. This will result in any nearby officers immediately opening fire on the player, and the wanted level will only get higher the more the player fights back.

4 Driving On The Pavement

Killing Multiple Innocent NPCs At Once

Since the people of Los Santos need to get around this large city with ease, the open world map of GTA 5 is filled with roads and a variety of vehicles that players can drive. While these cars are a great way to get across the map quickly, they can also be used as deadly weapons.

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Anyone hit at a high enough speed will instantly be killed or will be gravely injured at the very least. Therefore, players can drive on the path to rack up numerous kills in quick succession. Such behavior is likely to be reported to the police quickly to give the player a wanted star, and hitting a police officer this way will grant two wanted stars. Of course, continuing down this route will only keep that wanted level rising.

3 Blowing Up Vehicles

Spread Chaos To Alert Authorities

Though firearms may be the best way to take out civilians and other NPCs in GTA 5, players will find that bulkier objects in the games, like vehicles, are easier to destroy with explosives. That is why gamers will want to have some explosives on hand when trying to blow up vehicles.

While destroying a car without any consequences is not a crime, having one blown up in a highly populated area could harm pedestrians or other drivers. Therefore, any player looking to get a wanted level quickly should consider parking their car in a public space and blowing it up with a C4, grenades, a rocket launcher, or even a jerry can. The initial explosion will cause a chain reaction that could get the player one, two, or three wanted stars. Of course, more car explosions will result in a higher wanted level.

2 Robbing A Store

Get Money And A Wanted Level At The Same Time

The world of GTA 5 works just like the real one. As a result, the NPCs in this universe also need to work jobs and buy goods to survive. There is a thriving economy in Los Santos, and there are many businesses open for the player to use. Players can enter certain stores to buy weapons or clothes, and there are even some shops in the game that are simply used to dress up the place and make it feel lived in.

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However, any store that a player finds with a cash register is able to be robbed. This involves the player aiming their gun at the NPC behind the counter, and this individual will slowly give the player money. These actions aren't without consequences, though, as the store clerk will immediately hit an alarm as soon as the player stops aiming at them, and this will give them an instant three-star wanted level.

1 Going Into The Army Base

Entering A Restricted Part Of The City Has Consequences

Los Santos is a huge open world that allows players to explore as much as they like. However, there are places on the map that are restricted to regular civilians, and one such area is the army base in Lago Zancudo. This base is filled with powerful military hardware, such as tanks and fighter jets, which is why its occupants would prefer it if the protagonists did not enter trespass.

Unfortunately for the army, players can enter this base by using a helicopter, plane, or by quickly driving inside. Doing this is not advised as it will result in an immediate four-star wanted level, and the army base is very difficult to escape from when soldiers are firing from all directions. Still, for those looking to raise their wanted level as quickly as possible, coming to th map is one of the best methods available.

Grand Theft Auto 5

Platform(s)

PS5 , PS4 , PS3 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , PC

Released

September 17, 2013

Developer(s)

Rockstar North

Genre(s)

Open-World , Action