The Panther Statue is the Most Valuable Cayo Perico Heist Target
Introducing GTA Online‘s Most Profitable Heist
Since its launch in December 2020 as part of the Cayo Perico update, the daring robbery of El Rubio‘s private island has become Grand Theft Auto Online‘s most popular money maker. Offering solo players the opportunity to reliably earn over $1 million per hour, Cayo Perico represents an unrivaled way to grind cash fast.
But claiming the biggest payday requires learning the intricacies of several spawnable primary targets, elite escape tactics, and how to maximize your haul of secondary loot. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to walk away a Cayo millionaire!
Primary Target Payouts & Rarity
During initial scoping of the island, your Intel will reveal one of five possible primary targets El Rubio has stashed in his compound. Their value & frequency of appearing are:
| Target | Normal Payout | Hard Payout | Spawn Chance |
| Tequila | $900k | $990k | Common (35%) |
| Ruby Necklace | $1m | $1.1m | Uncommon (20%) |
| Bearer Bonds | $1.1m | $1.21m | Uncommon (20%) |
| Pink Diamond | $1.3m | $1.43m | Rare (15%) |
| Panther Statue | $1.9m | $2.09m | Ultra Rare (10%) |
As you can see, the glittering Panther Statue reigns supreme at a whopping $2.09 million value on Hard difficulty. Given its incredibly low chances though, most players gravitate towards the Pink Diamond or Bonds as consistent elite scores.
Experienced heisters will cancel and restart the Intel mission upon learning Tequila or lesser targets are present, angling for a Panther or Diamond spawn through save-scumming before their next attempt.
Combining Primary & Secondary Loot
While the Primary represents the crown jewel of your score, savvy thieves know completing secondary objectives can add 50-100% onto your total take!
The two objectives you‘ll be presented are:
Cash – Various stashes adding up to $100k total
Cocaine – 20 brick stacks priced at $220k/ea, $4.4m max
Weed – 20 bag bundles at $149k/ea, $2.98m max
Gold – 10 small piles of gold bars valued at $328k/ea, $3.28m max
Artwork – 10 paintings worth between $192k-$500k each
Of these options, gold offers the highest potential payout at nearly $3.3 million. When paired with the Panther Statue or Pink Diamond, your overall haul reaches astronomical levels – $5 million+ scores are possible!
Other profitable secondaries are cocaine, certain rare paintings, and simply grabbing the $100k in El Rubio‘s office safe. Containers of cash ultimately waste the most bag space for their lower value.
Tips & Tricks for Maximizing Your Take
Beyond target selection, several strategies can dramatically boost your profits:
Use suppressed weapons – stealth is fastest! The Aggressor loadout shines here
Memorize guard paths, camera angles – no detections = less enemies
Explore the island first in stealth choppers to reveal Points of Interest. Finding drug stashes or cutting powder lets you loot the airfield hangar for $440k-495k extra!
When escaping, swim away or use supply truck instead of main docks
On Hard mode, it takes 7-9 minutes sprinting to fill bags with gold. Grab painting(s) if pressed for time
Purchase the Sparrow helicopter – transforms prep & finale with fast travel to sub
Level 2 Security Pass lets you access the vault cameras. Scout gold locations before choosing your entrance point!
…and so much more! Perico remains fresh and rewarding even after grinding it for months. Solo players can expect to pocket $1.5 million+ per finale, with elite teams breaking $2.5 million consistently.
This still dwarfs any other activity‘s top potential income. When combined with its repeatability, exciting scenario, and reasonable $25k setup cost, Cayo Perico is every ambitious criminal entrepreneurs‘ dream!
