Best Gold-Making Strategies for ESO Crime Wave Mini-Event (2025)

The Crime Wave Mini-Event is coming to The Elder Scrolls Online in early May 2025, offering a fantastic opportunity to make gold through thievery! With doubled fence interactions, 25% higher value for stolen goods, and special reward pouches, this event is perfect for new and veteran players alike. No DLCs or quests are required, and it’s all about committing crimes like pickpocketing, looting, and fencing. This guide breaks down the best strategies to maximize your profits. Let’s dive in!

Event Overview: What to Expect

The Crime Wave Mini-Event, starting in early May 2025, focuses on criminal activities across Tamriel. There are no event tickets, special quests, or cakes to worry about—just pure thievery. Key bonuses include 100% extra fence interactions per day (doubling your daily limit), 25% greater value for items sold to fences (e.g., a 1,500-gold item sells for 2,400 gold), and Pouches of Ill-Gotten Goods from pickpocketing, safeboxes, Thieves’ Troves, and Dark Brotherhood/Thieves Guild dailies (DLC required for dailies).

Pouches of Ill-Gotten Goods: The Bounty Boost

Pouches of Ill-Gotten Goods are the event’s big draw, dropping from pickpocketing, safeboxes, Thieves’ Troves, and guaranteed from Dark Brotherhood/Thieves Guild dailies. The drop chance increases with your bounty and heat level—the more criminal you are, the better your odds! Consider racking up a massive bounty (100,000+ gold) on an alt character before the event starts. Items in pouches include a tradable consumable granting 40 Legerdemain XP, sellable contraband, new furnishings like coin piles, and Dark Brotherhood/Thieves Guild potions.

Best Farming Spots for Stolen Goods

Maximize your haul by targeting these spots:

-Ebonheart Docks (Stonefalls, Free-to-Play):NPCs face away, perfect for pickpocketing and Blade of Woe kills. Competitive during peak hours, so try off-hours.

-Evermore Nobles (Bangkorai, Free-to-Play):Nobles carry high-value loot. No guards here, so you can pickpocket or kill freely to build bounty.

-Hadran’s Caravan (Reaper’s March):Gamblers in large numbers, no guards. Great for pickpocketing or murder sprees to boost heat.

-Vulwasten Provisioners (Malabal Tor, Free-to-Play):Chance for rare Shivering Cheese (worth thousands), but watch for guards.

-Bal Foyen Safeboxes (Deshaan):Safebox central with fast respawns, but highly competitive.

-Necrom Urns (Telvanni Peninsula):Use Aander for bonus drops from urns. Non-competitive but less dense loot.

Pickpocketing Strategy: Maximize Loot

NPCs carry up to three items. Pickpocket twice (use Light Fingers passive for better odds), then use Blade of Woe (Dark Brotherhood DLC) or vampirism’s insta-kill to loot the third item. Killing first yields only one item, so always pickpocket twice. Turn off the assassination camera in Settings > Camera for faster kills. Use Ember as a companion for a chance at hidden wallets, but note she’ll get upset if you’re caught.

Boosting Profits: Passives and Gear

Level up your Legerdemain skill line by selling stolen goods to fences—it improves pickpocketing, lockpicking, and fence interactions. The Thieves Guild’s Haggling passive (10% more gold from fenced items) is key; blitz through Hew’s Bane main quests to unlock it faster. Champion Points like Infamous and Cutpurse are helpful but not essential. Gear like Night Terror or Shadow Queen’s Cowl aids stealth, but high-level players can skip specialized sets. Vampirism or Nightblade’s Shadow Cloak also simplify stealth.

Daily Quests: Worth It?

Dark Brotherhood (Gold Coast) and Thieves Guild (Hew’s Bane) dailies guarantee a Pouch of Ill-Gotten Goods, but they take time. Heists can be done multiplayer and reward pouches even if you fail by killing everyone, building your bounty. For max efficiency, focus on mass pickpocketing and killing in open-world spots like Evermore or Hadran’s Caravan, as they may yield pouches faster than dailies.

Pro Tips for New Players

New to ESO? This event is beginner-friendly—no DLCs needed, and low-level characters can kill and steal easily. Use an alt for high-bounty farming to avoid risking your main. Head to Abah’s Landing Outlaws Refuge (Hew’s Bane) for easy fence access, as it’s outside the city. Avoid guards with 100,000+ bounties, as they’ll take your gold if caught. Consider the Black Market Mogul achievement (sell 1,000,000 gold worth of stolen goods) for a cool housing furnishing.

Final Thoughts: Crime Pays!

The Crime Wave Mini-Event is a straightforward gold-making opportunity. Build a massive bounty, hit spots like Ebonheart or Evermore, and sell stolen goods for big profits. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned thief, this event’s doubled fence interactions and boosted values make it a gold mine. Share your best thieving spots in the comments, and happy stealing!