In various locations I've "infiltrated" I've noticed that there are locked chests. Usually there's a little bit of "red text" saying I can pick the lock – which typically indicates that this is a criminal act.
However, I don't know if I'd actually get busted for doing this in front of someone, and there's also not a "percentage chance of failure" like for stealing. I can't tell if I'm going to get into trouble or not before I start, which is important since I don't particularly like jail.
If I pick a NPC owned, locked item in front of witnesses, but don't steal any of the items, will I get into trouble with the law? What circumstances will cause me to get busted?
Best Answer
You can pick the lock without any adverse affects no matter who is around. However, if you decide to take any of the items inside, then there will be trouble. The red text is acting like warning, letting you know the container is owned. Once you pick the lock and the items are displayed, then you will see the red percentages next to each item.
As far as I can tell, lockpicking isn't considered a crime but stealing is.