Where are the banks to rob in GTA 5 story mode?
When playing through GTA 5‘s epic single player story spanning 69 missions, what long-time fan doesn‘t dream about living out their ultimate outlaw fantasy – orchestrating an actual bank heist!
Well you‘re in luck as there are two major bank robbery missions that form essential milestones in the player‘s transformation from rookie to seasoned criminal mastermind.
Bank Robbery #1: The Fleeca Job
Early on in the story, protagonists Franklin and Lamar undertake the first official bank robbery at the Fleeca branch located north of Los Santos on Great Ocean Highway in Vinewood Hills.
The Small Town Bank With Potential Big Rewards
While not the most glamorous location, the comparatively rural Fleeca bank holds ample stacks of cash in its vaults. Expect to grab around $150,000 to $200,000 here with an aggressive 80% take!
Furthermore, Frank and Lamar‘s amateur status means assaulting this smaller bank is the perfect way to cut their teeth. Nonetheless success requires coordinated hacking, crowd control and getaway driving.
Mission Vital Stats
- Unlocked by Lester Crest after completing the mission "Repossession"
- 2 player job – Franklin and 1 other (ideally a good driver/shooter like Michael or Trevor)
- Average heist completion: 16 minutes
- Payout: up to $200,000 gross, lower net after Lester‘s cut
While other larger banks hold exponentially higher cash stockpiles, the team‘s lack of experience necessitates starting small…for now at least!
Bank Robbery #2: The Big One – Pacific Standard Public Depository
As Franklin‘s crew of merry thieves, comprising Michael, Trevor and even Lester, gain confidence from successful earlier heists, the stakes are raised to an absolutely staggering level.
Welcome to the creme de la creme of Grand Theft Auto robbery missions – the gargantuan final heist that is the raid on the Pacific Standard Public Depository vault within the eponymous bank headquarters in the heart of Los Santos.
Sky-High Stakes at a Landmark City Central Location
With $2,500,000 in the vault, it‘s no surprise the Pacific Standard downtown branch is extremely well guarded. Expect the toughest resistance including NOOSE teams yet the highest payoff of any story mode mission!
While the sprawling marble-clad complex seems impenetrable, secret insider access via subway tunnels means that with hyper aggressive strategies, elite hacking capabilities, solid crew coordination and insane driving skills, the payday of a lifetime awaits…
Mission Vital Stats
- 6 setup missions needed to gather intel and equipment
- 4 player job – ideally Michael, Franklin, Trevor + solid hacker like Paige Harris or Rickie Luckens
- Average completion: 25 minutes
- Maximum payout: $2,200,000+ gross
Playing through this intense, scintillating heist culminating in a frantic bike chase is easily one of the most electrifying experiences across all Grand Theft Auto games!
Honorable Mentions – Banks You Can‘t Rob in Story Mode
While there are just two directly rob-able banks in story mode, other banks play minor cameos that deserve quick mention for interested readers:
1. Maze Bank Los Santos Tower
This glistening modern skyscraper is the headquarters of Maze Bank but despite housing oodles of cash, remains impenetrable to all.
Located in the bustling Downtown district, the sheer scale of security systems here require elite hacking mastery exceeding all crew member capabilities in story mode!
2. The Big Bank/Legion Square Bank
Similarly, this prominent Classical structure fronted with towering Doric columns in the Legion Square neighborhood also cannot be robbed.
However, its asset value does make it an Lester assassination target with properly timed stock market manipulation potentially netting Franklin upwards of $170 million!
How to Rob Banks in GTA V Story Mode: Step-By-Step Walkthrough
While I‘ve outlined the major plot-critical robberies above, let‘s deep dive into the exact sequence of events for both Fleeca and Pacific Standard jobs:
The Fleeca Job Step-By-Step:
- Meet Lester at his warehouse after completing the mission "Repossession"
- He provides an armored Kuruma car; drive it to the Fleeca branch
- Your partner hacks open the bank‘s door – cover them from cops!
- They then hack the vault door while you handle crowd control
- Don masks once vault opens, grab cash quickly then drive to Lester‘s lockup
- Time taken roughly 15 minutes; decent payout depending on take
The Pacific Standard Job Step-By-Step:
Being a complex 6-part epic requiring days of preparation from spying on the bank‘s security truck to stealing hacking drills from the IAA, I‘ll summarize main elements:
- Complete all six initial Intel Gathering missions
- Purchase all necessary equipment including hacking laptops, outfits, stolen cop uniforms etc
- Breach the bank via underground maintenance tunnel after blowing open vault doors with stolen thermal charges
- Hack internal gate keys while crowd controlling staff and eliminating NOOSE teams
- Fight way out past intensifying police resistance to bikes for insane last-ditch escape!
Whew! While extremely challenging, pulling off this score nets epic bragging rights and sets all protagonists up for life if done perfectly!
GTA 5 Bank Robbery Crew Setup Meta Analysis
As these complex multi-stage missions prove, success requires Maine level crew coordination. Let‘s analyze the optimal team composition for maximum payouts:
| Role | Fleeca Job Ideal | Pacific Standard Job Ideal |
|---|---|---|
| Hacker | Lamar Davis | Paige Harris |
| Crowd Control / Enforcer | Michael De Santa | Trevor Philips |
| Getaway Driver | Franklin Clinton | Eddie Toh |
| Insider Access | N/A | Karim Denz |
Having an experienced getaway driver like Franklin or Eddie is critical as they expertly handle traffic, blockades and heat from 5 star wanted levels during nailbiting escapes after the scores!
Equally important is assigning your allies with the best corresponding skillsets instead of random trial and error.
For example, Lamar and Paige‘s elite hacking chops prevent the mission failing due to inability to breach doors or deactivate security systems in time during intense action sequences!
Meanwhile, experienced wheelmen with pursuit-evasion expertise like Frank mitigate risk by ensuring the perfect clean exit after you loot what is rightfully yours!
GTA 5 Bank Robbery Payouts Breakdown
Successfully looting vault cash then escaping wanted levels during the scoring itself is only half the reward!
Let‘s break down exactly how much you stand to gain with optimal take percentages negotiated in the initial prep stages:
The Fleeca Job:
- Maximum loot potential in vault: $200,000
- Take percentage: 80%
- Crew cut after Lester fee: $80k – $100k each
The Pacific Standard Job:
- Maximum loot potential in vault: $2,500,000+
- Take percentage: 85%
- Crew cut after Lester fee: $400k – $500k+ each
With the Pacific Standard depository boasting at least 10x higher cash reserves, you‘re looking at an epic near half million-dollar score for less than 30 minutes criminal mastermind work!
Suffice to say, both Michael, Frank and even nefarious Trevor should be set for life after this record-shattering payout if they can escape Los Santos‘ finest.
This completes the definitive guide for locations, tips and meta analysis of ALL rob-able banks in GTA 5‘s epic story mode – from small town Fleeca branches to vaults holding multi-million scores!
Whether you‘re starting out as rookie crooks or channeling seasoned coords like Thomas Crown to fund greater quests for power beyond any mob boss or corrupt government…
So assemble your crew, gather intel and tools judiciously, pickyour targets wisely and Big Smoke some fools if needed. Just get rich or die trying! Some dogs can‘t be domesticated after all 😉
