GTA 6 wanted level guide: how to lose the police

The wanted system ruins more playthroughs than any firefight. Here is how it usually works in Rockstar games and what the GTA 6 material already shows.

What we know about the Leonida police

The trailers show patrol cars, helicopters and — this is the new part — drones. A drone sits higher and keeps eyes on you far longer than a ground unit, so the classic trick of ducking into an alley and waiting it out may work worse than it did in GTA 5.

The escape rules that always apply

1. Break line of sight

   Police lose you by visibility, not distance. Tunnels, parking structures, dense blocks and bridges beat an open highway every time.

2. Change vehicles

   The wanted level is usually tied to your vehicle description. Swapping cars out of sight is the most reliable way to drop pursuit.

3. Switch between water and land

   Changing environment forces the chase to rebuild. Around the Keys and the swamps a boat or airboat is a serious advantage.

4. Wait it out properly

   Once the search zone stops following you, stop moving. Moving inside the zone is the single most common reason stars refuse to clear.

Common mistakes

• Driving in a straight line. Perfect conditions for a helicopter or drone.
• Shooting at police over one star. One shot turns a minor offence into a siege.
• Escaping in your personal car. You will be paying to get it back.
• Driving home while wanted. In Rockstar games that usually blocks saving entirely.

When the chase starts mid-mission

If the police show up during a job, check the objective first: plenty of missions require delivering cargo or a person, and then escaping matters more than winning the fight. Commit to a shootout only when the game explicitly asks for one.

Related: launch day checklist and weapon loadouts.