Stop Thief!
Stop Thief! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
In Stop Thief!, players play private investigators trying to catch a thief secretly moving around the board. The thief does not physically appear on the board - the app keeps track of where the thief is and how they are moving and plays sounds to give clues about their location. Use the sound clues to figure out where the thief is, then move there and arrest the thief, earning your reward.
Object of the Game
Be the first player to collect enough cash to retire. The amount needed changes based on the number of players.
Don't forget to download the free app! You'll need it in order to start catching thieves. Search for RESTORATION GAMES on any of these: the App Store or Google Play. (Only one player needs to have the app installed.)
Components
- 1 Game Board
- 6 Investigator Meeples
- 12 Thief Cards
- Money Cards (26 $1,000 cards & 16 $5,000 cards)
- 6 Investigator License Cards
- 36 Movement Cards (6 cards each for 6 investigators)
- (black & yellow cards and meeples not shown)
You will also need an electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet and the Stop Thief! module in the Restoration Games app.
Set-Up
- Place the game board in the center of the table and the money to the side to create a bank.
- Shuffle the thief deck and place it face down next to the bank. Reveal the top card.
- Each player takes an investigator meeple, its matching ID card, and takes all of their movement cards into their hand.
- Place the investigator meeples on the subway space labeled 500 in the center of the board.
- Everyone takes $3,000 from the bank.
- Launch the app and choose a game mode. The app will tell you which player takes the first turn.
Playing the Game
Players take turns clockwise around the table. On your turn, do the following three steps in order:
- Get a Clue
- Play a Card
- Attempt an Arrest (optional)
Some thieves have an effect while you're looking for them. For example, Selina Kane's "While at Large" effect reads: "Every time Selina moves onto a window space, add $2,000 reward to this card," on a thief card worth $6,000.
1. Get a Clue
Press the GET A CLUE button on the app. The app will play a sound for everyone to hear - that's your clue to start figuring out where the thief is. The clue is not secret, so if someone missed it, you can replay it.
Rules for the Thief's Movement (in the Standard Game)
- The thief always starts on a crime scene space.
- The thief always moves from one numbered space to the next numbered space (including doors and windows) connected by a footprint path - skipping over the unnumbered circles.
- The thief will not return to the space they just moved from the turn before.
- The thief will sometimes stay in the same space.
- If the thief moves onto a door or window space, they will go through it to the next room or outdoor space on their next move. (They won't go to a window, open it, and then go back into the room.)
- If a thief moves onto a subway space, they make the same sound as other outside spaces. They can walk on it like other numbered spaces, but they will not take the subway.
- If the thief returns to a crime scene, they will rob it again. If they stay on it, they will keep robbing it.
Crime Spree!
Sometimes, the sound clue reveals that the thief committed another crime by moving onto another crime scene space. If that happens, take $1,000 from the bank and place it on the thief card. This is an additional reward for catching such a dastardly criminal.
2. Play a Card
Play a card from your hand onto the table. You may move a number of spaces up to the amount shown on the card. Some cards have a special effect on them that will let you use its power before, during, or after your move. You do not need to move the full number of spaces on the card, and you are not required to do the effect.
Once you play a card from your hand, it stays on the table until an effect lets you pick up your movement cards. This is typically from another one of your movement cards.
Rules for Investigators' Movement
- Investigators must travel along the footprint paths using all the spaces, including the unnumbered circles. Exception: Investigators may not move onto or through a window space unless there is an effect that specifically lets them do so.
- Investigators may move through a space occupied by another investigator, but they may not end their movement on a space with another investigator. Exception: More than one investigator can be on the subway spaces.
- If an investigator moves onto a subway space, they may move to any other subway space on the board for free. After moving to the new space, they immediately stop moving. If the player has played a movement card that has an effect, they may still resolve the effect (even if that effect lets you move additional spaces).
- Some thief effects might limit the number or type of spaces investigators may move onto.
Get to Know the Gameboard
The sound you hear tells you the new space that the thief went to:
- Crime Scene - sound: an alarm
- Door - sound: a creaky door
- Inside a building - sound: footsteps
- Window - sound: breaking glass
- Subway - sound: muffled speaker
- Outside a building - sound: hubbub
(In the standard game, thieves treat subways as regular outside spaces)
- If you hear hold music, it means the thief stayed still.
- Unnumbered circle spaces are only used by investigators - thieves skip over them.
Note: Thieves and investigators can move in either direction on the paths, regardless of which direction the footprints point.
3. Attempt an Arrest (Optional)
You may attempt to make an arrest on the space you are on or any adjacent numbered space. Press the ATTEMPT AN ARREST button on the app. The number of the space where you are attempting the arrest is public. Announce the number of the space you think the thief is on and enter it in the app. The app will then tell you if you are right or wrong.
If you are wrong, pay $1,000 to the bank. (If you have no money, nothing happens.) Play then continues as normal to the next player on your left.
If you are right, the thief is arrested. You collect reward money as indicated on the thief card and any additional money if they went on a crime spree. If there is a "When Arrested" effect on the thief card, it happens. You make any decisions that need to be made for the "When Arrested" effect.
An investigator on this spot could choose to attempt an arrest on space 333 or space 324 (but not 332 - it is not adjacent).
Starting a New Round
After a successful arrest, if the game is not over, the player to your left starts the next round, with investigators continuing from their current spaces on the board. Discard the card of the thief who was caught and reveal a new one.
Winning the Game
The first player to get enough cash to get out of this two-bit job is the winner.
| Players | Money needed to win |
|---|---|
| 2 | $45,000 |
| 3 | $35,000 |
| 4 | $25,000 |
Card Special Effects
Get a private tip: One of your informants can give you information about the thief. Press the GET A PRIVATE TIP button on the app. Remember the information - it's secret and for you only!
Pick up all your movement cards: Even seasoned veterans need a moment to catch their breath. At the end of the turn you play this card, pick up all your movement cards (including this one) and return them to your hand.
Collect $1,000 from another investigator: Maybe the other investigator lost a bet to you. Maybe they bought your collection of porcelain figurines. Either way, it's time to pay up. Choose an investigator; they pay you $1,000 from their own money. If you choose an investigator with no money or if none of the investigators have any money, there is no effect.
You may pass through windows: Double jointed? Ex-gymnast? Doesn't matter. When you play this card, you may move onto window spaces during this turn.
The first 3 spaces you move on a street are free: You like the outdoors. It invigorates you. On this turn, the first three spaces you move outside a building do not count toward the total number of spaces you can move. These spaces can be during any part of your turn and don't need to be in a row. You could move "1, 2, 3, free, 4, 5, 6, free, free, 7, 8, 9."
Move another detective 4 spaces: You get a kick out of sending people on wild goose chases. When you use an effect to move another investigator, you move them following the regular rules. If you move them onto a subway space, they do NOT move to another subway space.
Difficulty Settings
Since 1979, technology has advanced just a teeny, tiny bit. While the big blocky Crime Scanner was a marvel of its time, we can now do what it did in an app—and a whole lot more. By using an app, we are able to update the game after you already have it, including whole new ways to play. The app will tell you what different ways there are to play and how to play them.
Game History
Stop Thief! was designed by Dr. Robert Doyle and published by Parker Brothers in 1979. Dr. Doyle was an honest-to-goodness rocket scientist. He left NASA to design electronic games and toys, like Code Name: Sector and Electronic Battleship. He is perhaps best known for the groundbreaking Merlin, one of the first handheld electronic game systems, which featured multiple games in one device, variable difficulty levels, and the ability to save games—all in 1979! His influence can be seen today in the recent spate of games merging electronics and tabletop play.
These days, Dr. Doyle lives in Massachusetts, scooping up second-hand copies of his games to give as gifts to his grandchildren. He is thrilled to see a restored version of Stop Thief! for a new generation.
Credits
Restored from: Stop Thief, designed by Dr. Robert Doyle and published by Parker Brothers.
Restoration Team: Game Restoration: Rob Daviau and Justin D. Jacobson Graphic Design: Jason Taylor Box Top Illustration: John Ariosa Gameboard and Cards Illustrations: Roland MacDonald Project Manager/Production Artist: Lindsay Daviau
Playtesters: Graeme Anderson, Jim Annett, Chris Avant, Chip Beauvais, Elijah Ban, Jenny Ban, Lily Ban, Noah Ban, Dave Bell, Jordan Bell, Don Berg, Glenn Bowlan, Scott Brainard, Nat Brooks, Mike Broomall, Bryan Buck, Caitlin Buck, Jennifer Busaan, Jon Busaan, Rod Cherewko, Sherry Cherewko, Lindis Chetwynd, Benj Christensen, Jamie Christensen, Scott Clark, Jaimee Collins, Ivan Conrad, Liz Conrad, Russell Cook, Will Creech, Nicole Crequer29, James Curnalia, Alex Daviau, Jody Delaney, Devon and Wilhelmina, Arly Dominguez, Nathan Dominguez, Samuel Dominguez, Emily Drejza, Linda Drejza, Mark Drejza, David Dunn, Benjamin Dyal, Brooke Dyal, Matt Dyal, Zachary Dyal, Tim Dybevik, Paul Easter, Kathleen Engle, Cory Fantasia, Four Corners of the Board, Pierre Franquin, Jude Gelden, Will Gelden, Christopher George, Mackenzie George, Madeline George, Rhea George, Eric Gergotz, Dave Gerhart, Rob Gerhart, Nathan Gerhart, Daniel Grant, Russell Gray, Ivan Grimm, Billy Hana, Dave Hippler, Jason Hobson, Shelly Hopp, Nick Hotalling, Andrew Irwin, Matthew Kalla, Kirk Kaye, Patrick Kenna, Chris Kiraly, Betsy Klarsch, Daniel Klarsch, Jim Klarsch, Andrew Klepel, Amanda Klepper, Adam Krier, Mike Lai, Len Lam, Brian Leong, Joe Leuzzi, Eric Lewis, Ben Liles, Don Liles, Kate Liles, William Liles, Hamilton Longyear, Richard Malena, David Martin, Tom McCarthy, Conor McCormick, Rachel McDaniel, Sara McDaniel, Tom McDaniel, Ian McLaren, Kris McMahan, Rob McMahan, Donna McRee, Tony McRee, James McRury, Timothy Michaels-Johnson, Mike Mitchell, Sue Mitchell, Marty Mortimer, Austin Motley, Angel Navarro Jr., Jessica Navarro, Elizabeth Neveu, Mark van Oudheusden, Alex Parsons, Lori Paul-Martin, Francis Peddle, all our friends at Rabbitcon, Nehemiah Salo, Sam Serra, Rich Shapiro, Bill Shube, Sarah Shube, Elliott Simon, Lisa Stanger, Barton Stanley, Melissa Taylor, Randy Thompson, Greg Wason, Steven Wason, Paul Wilkins, Jeffrey Wolfe, Laura Wolfe, Mark Yang, Barb Yerke, Luiza Yerke, Sarah Yerke
©2017 Restoration Games, LLC. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc. The following are trademarks of Restoration Games, LLC: Restoration Games, the Restoration Games logo, Stop Thief!, the Stop Thief! logo, the Every Game Deserves Another Turn tagline, and all associated trade dress. Restoration Games, LLC is located at 12717 W SUNRISE BLVD, #244, Sunrise, FL 33323. Actual components may vary from those shown. Made in China.
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY. NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY PERSONS 13 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.