Jailbreak Beginner Guide: Escape, Rob and Cash In

What the game is

At the start you choose Prisoner or Police. Prisoners begin locked inside the prison. Once out, they rob places, then take the loot to a cash-in point. Police start free, with arrest tools and vehicles, and earn money by catching criminals.

Guides suggest starting as a Prisoner, because it teaches you how to move around the map, use objects and get away. You can try Police later.

Getting out of prison

You cannot rob anything while you are locked up, so this is step one. There are several ways out, and it is enough to learn one or two at first.

• Punch box: find the power box in the prison and keep hitting it until the door opens. This is the method guides most often name for new players.
• Sewers: open a hatch, follow the tunnel and climb a ladder to get out.
• Keycard: get close behind a police officer and hold the interact button to pickpocket their keycard, then use it on doors.
• Help from a friend: a teammate with a vehicle can pick you up.

Your first robberies

Start small. Guides point to the Donut Shop as a quick and low-risk first robbery, followed by the Jewelry Store once you are ready for lasers. The map can also help: one guide says green dots mean a robbery is open and red dots mean it is closed.

Some robberies need more. The Museum needs two players, so skip it until you have a partner. The bank needs a keycard, which you can get by pickpocketing police. Bigger jobs such as the Power Plant and Crown Jewel are better saved until you know how to reach the Volcano base.

How progress works

The key rule is that loot is not yours until you cash it in. Carrying a full bag means nothing until you reach a valid collector. Guides say Jewelry Store loot goes to the Rising City criminal base, and bigger jobs such as the Museum and Power Plant go to the Volcano base. Locations can change with updates, so follow the on-screen prompts.

A loop that works for new players goes like this: escape, do a small robbery, cash in, and repeat until you can buy a car. Guides suggest a cheap, reliable car first, such as the Camaro, instead of a luxury one. A car lets you move between robberies and get away from police.

Contracts are small daily and weekly tasks such as driving a distance or robbing a set number of times. They give season experience. Pick the ones that fit what you were going to do anyway. Game passes such as the Duffel Bag can raise how much you carry, but guides say free players can do well too.

Common mistakes

• Standing around with a full bag. An arrest or a knockout can waste the whole run, so cash in first.
• Fighting armed police when you are outnumbered. Run and hide instead.
• Trying the Museum alone, or a big robbery before you know the way out.
• Rushing puzzles. A mistake can cost you the run, so take your time.
• Always using the same getaway route, which makes you easy to catch.
• Buying a flashy car before you own something practical.
• Trusting offers to double your cash. Ignore them and keep your deals inside the game.

What to do next

Once you can escape and cash in without trouble, find a friend and try the Museum. Learn the way to the Volcano base, then move on to bigger robberies. It is also worth trying a short Police session, which lets you see which robberies are open and how arrests work. Check the keybinds too, because guides list different keys and you can change them in settings.