update · June 26, 2026
Thick as Thieves Update 4 Increases Guard Security and Difficulty Timers
Update 4 for Thick as Thieves brings heightened guard alertness, difficulty-scaled timers, new distractions like Slithertaps and car horns, and Black Market cosmetics. Master Thieves face stricter 4-minute exit timers under the refreshed rules.
Thick as Thieves Update 4 alters heist dynamics by sharpening guard AI, introducing environmental noise tools, and adjusting match timers based on selected difficulty settings.
Guards and AI Adjustments
Constables react more sharply to disturbances, investigate areas thoroughly, and wake from KOs with higher alertness and reactivity. Their recovery duration scales with difficulty: Novice guards calm down faster and stay unconscious longer, while Master Thief guards are more aggressive and get back up quickly. Guard voice lines have been improved to better distinguish visual detections from sound investigations, alongside new vigilant state vocal cues.
Difficulty-Based Timers
Match and exit timers now adjust dynamically to your difficulty setting. Novice provides a much more forgiving total match and exit duration for exploration, while Master Thief lowers the pressure with a strict 4-minute exit timer, requiring players to plan their escapes before securing mission loot.
New Tools and Environmental Distractions
Thieves gain access to Slithertaps, interactive world valves that spray a burst of Slithersap to cool down pursuing guards. Stationary vehicles now feature car horns that sound when jumped on to lure guards off post. Players can also shatter unbarred windows or display cases by throwing bottles at them to create quick paths, though guards will react strongly to the sound of breaking glass. Pickpocket Fairy ammunition has also been increased from two to three.
Black Market and Audio Overhauls
The Black Market features new outfits, accessories, requested accessory combinations, and a calling card, complete with re-tuned item costs. Gramophone music playback in the Thief's Den gains better playlist randomization, new tracks, and disabled auto-shutdown. Environmental audio has been overhauled to react more dynamically to acoustics and object interactions, supported by new sound effect suites for glass breaks, truck alarms, and Slithersap pipes.
Why this patch matters
Update 4 injects unpredictability into heists by tightening guard behavior, sharpening difficulty constraints, and adding tactical environmental interactions.