Grand Theft Auto V Walkthrough: Casing the Jewel Store
Character: Michael
Location: La Mesa
Unlocked After: Friend Request
You can never leave a life of crime for long, or at least that's what Michael's discovering. He needs money to cover his debt for pulling a certain house down, and the best way for Michael to earn that money is to rob a jewelry store. Lester can help him with that, though first they need to get a good look at the place. Sounds like a recon mission is in order.
- Put on a nice outfit, preferably a suit. (This assumes that you play this mission immediately after finishing Friend Request. And no, you don't really have to suit it, but it doesn't hurt your image.)
- Drive to Vespucci Blvd. in La Mesa. Park and approach the waypoint by the nearby garment factory marked Darnell Bros.
- Watch the cut scene and get back into your car.
- Drive to the waypoint in Rockford Hills. Park on top and enter Vangelico. The store is on the inside of the plaza, a short jaunt from the parking spot.
- Hit the Right button on your d-pad to use the camera in your glasses.
- Look for a door on the left side of the store. Take a picture of the alarm console to the left of the door.
- Approach the vendor in the middle of the store. Banter commences. This might seem pointless, but it's actually necessary for completing the mission, and Lester will have you turn back if you don't talk to her.
- Once Michael's done talking, walk around the left side of the woman and take a picture of the vent in the ceiling. You'll also get a shot of the camera beside the vent.
- Return to Lester.
- Drive a short ways to the south and take a left. You'll trigger a waypoint just outside a construction veneer. Make sure to park the car on the waypoint or the game will insist you return to the car.
- Enter the veneer, and the construction site beyond. Use the ladders inside to get to the roof.
- Cross to the far end of the roof to get to the next waypoint. It's atop a small structure, accessible via a ventilation unit.
- Take a picture of the main ventilation system, across the roof from your position.
- Return to the car. Drive it back to the garment factory.
- Lester will give you two options for completing the heist: either loud and violent or smart.
- Either way, you'll have to pick guys to help you on the heist. The better their stats, the more expensive their cut, but the better they'll perform in the subsequent mission. Choose based on your desired take, as well as your skill level in Grand Theft Auto; the worse your team, the more you'll ultimately have to do to pull off the heist, and the less money you'll probably make.
(Note: If you wish to re-plan the heist in subsequent plays, you'll have to do the mission The Jewel Store Job instead. Attempt to replay this mission and it will end shortly before the planning stage.)
Gold Medal Completion
Time - Complete within 8:00. Don't mess around in the jewelry store for too long, and get across the roof as quickly as you can. Playing this through once will really help you master the route. (If you want to save time on the descent, you can always fall from the roof. Ouch.)
Picture Perfect - Capture all three security features in one picture. This isn't that difficult. Stand on the right side of the store and shoot across to the left. You can catch everything in a single go.
