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Stop Thief!

A 2017 revival of the classic Stop Thief: listen for the invisible suspect and arrest them before the other detectives do.

Not the 1979 electronic Stop Thief you might remember: this 2017 version is a restoration of it, rebuilt around a smartphone. An alert pops up, a crime has just happened, and an invisible suspect runs through the building. You cannot see them, but you can hear them, and the sounds give away where they are heading. Use your own unique deck of cards to move around the board, sneak through a window or get a private tip, then figure out where the thief is hiding and swoop in with the arrest. Only one of you gets the reward, though, so it is a deduction race, even if there is a cooperative mode as well. Sixty minutes, one to five people.

An invisible thief revealed only by soundEach detective has a unique deck of cardsSneak through windows or get a private tip

Who it's for

You like hidden-movement deduction and a bit of nostalgia, and you want a game that makes you listen as much as look.

Not for you if…

You dislike games that need a phone, or you want a deeper puzzle. It is a lighter detective chase.

Vibe's take

Detective tension with an ear for detail. You are listening, remembering and guessing, and the moment you pin the thief down is a small rush.

#2,539 on BGG

of over 30,000 ranked board games

Published 2017 Β· 9 years ago

older than 54% of games

In 4,157 collections

collected more than 51% of games

1–5 players Β· ages 8+

Best with 3 or 4 Β· publisher: 10+

30–60 min

longer than 62% of games Β· typical 30–90 min

Complexity: light

Explained in 5 minutes Β· 1.5 out of 5 Β· lighter than 73%

Opinions: broad agreement

Most people rate it similarly

Language: little text

A few terms, easy to look up

Play style: cooperative Β· solo too

Theme & categories