Michael De Santa steps into the shadows for Bugstars Equipment, a pivotal heist setup mission in Grand Theft Auto V. Tasked by Lester Crest, players must infiltrate the Bugstars warehouse in Los Santos, choosing between stealth or brute force to secure the van essential for the Jewel Store Job’s Smart Approach. Will you slip away unnoticed or face the chaos of a two-star wanted level? The choice is yours in this thrilling prelude to one of GTA V’s most iconic heists.
Mission 14 – Bugstars Equipment general information
Way to unlock: You need to complete Main mission 11 (Casing the Jewel Store) and select the Smart variant towards its end. After you receive a message from Lester, there will appear the Hs icon on the world map, which symbolizes the pest control service van.
Playable characters: Michael
Additional information: this is the first one of the short missions connected with the smart heist variant. I recommend that you complete it without raising alarms, especially that it is going to be easy to pull off.
Mission 14 – Bugstars Equipment full walkthrough
The harbor warehouse
The van that you need to steal is parked in the harbor (Elysian Island), in the southern part of Los Santos. Reach the region of the warehouse’s entrance, where the vehicle is but, do not go into the main entrance of the building, because you would alarm unnecessarily the employees, as well as a nearby guard.
Walk around the warehouse to get to the back of the building. Get out of your car, enter the sneak mode and approach, carefully, the employee shown in the above screenshot. Attack him from behind and knock him down without raising the alarm. You can now get into the van (Declasse Burrito).
The location where you need to leave the van
There is one more action to do, which is delivering the stolen van to the garment plant region. Rev up the van to prevent being spotted while leaving the harbor and, after you get to your destination, park the vehicle under the bridge. Attention – if, for any reasons, you don’t want to stun the bug exterminator (getting rid of him doesn’t block a chance for completing mission in 100%), you can sneak into the van parked in the right corner of the storehouse and break in. In this case, ride out from the storehouse slowly (keep to the left wall) to not get spotted.
Rewards and challenges in mission 14 – Bugstars Equipment
Rewards for the completion of the mission: none
Requirements for the completion of the mission in 100%:
- Sneaky Pest – You need to steal the van and remain undetected.
What are the key challenges in completing the Bugstars Equipment mission
The key challenges in completing the Bugstars Equipment mission in Grand Theft Auto V are:
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Avoiding Detection: To achieve 100% completion, you must steal the Bugstars van without being spotted. This requires careful sneaking around the warehouse and avoiding guards and employees2.
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Stealth Takedown: If you choose to incapacitate the employee guarding the van, you must do so silently to prevent raising an alarm. Alternatively, you can bypass him entirely by sneaking into the van unnoticed.
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Exiting the Area Undetected: After stealing the van, leaving the harbor without being seen is critical. Driving slowly and sticking to less visible paths helps avoid alerting nearby NPCs or guards.
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Precision for Gold Medal: Achieving the “Sneaky Pest” Gold Medal objective adds pressure to maintain stealth throughout the mission, requiring precision and patience2.
What are the best tactics to avoid detection during the Bugstars Equipment mission
To avoid detection during the Bugstars Equipment mission in Grand Theft Auto V, follow these tactics:
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Approach from the Back: Avoid using the main entrance of the warehouse, as it is heavily monitored. Instead, circle around to the back of the building to stay out of sight of guards and employees.
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Use Sneak Mode: Activate sneak mode as soon as you exit your car. This minimizes noise and reduces the chances of being detected while moving through the area.
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Neutralize Silently (Optional): If you choose to deal with the employee near the van, approach him from behind and perform a silent takedown to avoid raising an alarm. However, this step is optional if you can bypass him unnoticed.
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Careful Driving: Once inside the van, drive slowly and stick to the left wall when exiting the warehouse. This prevents nearby NPCs from spotting you and triggering a wanted level.
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Avoid Unnecessary Actions: Breaking into the van without alerting anyone is crucial for 100% completion. Ensure all actions are quiet and deliberate to maintain stealth throughout.
