What are the penalties to stealing?

[Something Better]

like if you do not get caught are there any penalties? I know if you get caught you get fined or locked in jail... Also how can I level up my pickpocket? I try to pickpocket and always get caught and thrown in jail

[Something Better]

also I stole a horse and when I get off of it it runs home, any way to make it stay without buying it? I dont have 1000 gold xD

[Bomb Bloke]

Even if you don't get caught, thugs might get sent after you in revenge. This is a one-time event however (unfortunately, I feel), and isn't much to worry about.

The value of the items you steal determines your skill gains. It also makes them harder to steal, but you can put the odds in your favour somewhat by enchanting your equipment. No matter how good you get, there's always a 10% chance of failure.

Note that looking in an NPC's inventory is not a crime.

Regarding horses, you can't really "make them stay". Even if you own one, it'll follow you around (whenever you fast travel), messing up your stealth and generally getting in the way. Personally I avoid them like the plague.

[Eternie]

It's easier to increase your sneaking up a bit first that way npcs won't hear you and your pick pocket has more of a chance to succeed. To level sneak go to the upstairs room in the bannered mare and sneak ... it will slowly go up just with you sneaking above all the people in the bar.

Also when you do it ... late at night when you are in shadow ... and even better npc who are sleeping are easier targets.
there is also a beggar in Windhelm who can train you for a mighty fee!

As for penalties even if you don't get caught the Npc who merely suspects that you may have stolen from them will hire trhugs to take it out of your hide!

[Clever Monkey]

dont forget to equip items or potions that increase your skill. save before attempting. take an item and exit out of that window. then pick pocket it back onto them. do it over and over.

Also take advantage of the trainers at low levels

and I have killed people and then stole the stuff lying around and still got thugs after me

[Hamsterbytes , bits and nibbles]

The chickens saw you take it. If not it was the flying birds, or the deer, rabbits are sneaky tell a tales too.

[Eternie]

Training at low levels is also very cheap.. but you can only do it 5 times during any level . But that is half a level. Also at low levels if you increase sneak and pickpocket a lot. That means you'll be battling bandits who have say level 10 fighting skills with your level one fighting skill, and your sneak and pickpocketing skills don't help in melee.

So the idea is to build up all the skills you are going to need for your character!

[Something Better]

ok one more question: since I bought skyrim legendary pack does that mean I get any new dlcs they make (if they do) or do I have to buy them seperately? How do I know if I have the current ones?

[Bomb Bloke]

Originally posted by I change my name a lot :D:

ok one more question: since I bought skyrim legendary pack does that mean I get any new dlcs they make (if they do) or do I have to buy them seperately?

There won't be any more new ones.

Originally posted by I change my name a lot :D:

How do I know if I have the current ones?

If forges allow you to make housing materials, then you've got Hearthfire up and running. If you have that active then you just as likely have the other two as well.

[Something Better]

Originally posted by Bomb Bloke:

Regarding horses, you can't really "make them stay". Even if you own one, it'll follow you around (whenever you fast travel), messing up your stealth and generally getting in the way. Personally I avoid them like the plague.

is there an alternative to a horse to travel quickly to places you have never been? and are there any penalties to fast travel?

[Bomb Bloke]

The only "downside" to fast travel is that the clock passes when you use it. I doubt this'll ever be an issue for you.

A good way to move at a fast pace is to invest time training restoration - there's a perk that makes healing spells replenish stamina in addition to health, enabling you to sprint often with only small pauses. Increasing your stamina via enchantments likewise allows you to move faster for longer.

Joining the Companions gives you access to a speedy werewolf form with a huge amount of stamina. Unfortunately, you can only enter it once a day (until you find a certain ring), while you're in it you can't do much except slaughter things with your claws, and you can't turn back to your human form on demand.

If you have the Dawnguard DLC, you can eventually gain access to a summonable horse which pretty much does away with all the negatives of having a regular one.

Although you can't fight or gather items while on horseback, horses do have one big bonus to on-foot travel - they can run up pretty much any slope.

[Something Better]

thanks for all the replies, how do I close the topic? XD

[Zefram Cochrane]

Originally posted by I change my name a lot :D:

like if you do not get caught are there any penalties? I know if you get caught you get fined or locked in jail... Also how can I level up my pickpocket? I try to pickpocket and always get caught and thrown in jail

No penalties other than trying to find a fence to sell them to. If they're gem stones you can smith them into jewellery that removes the "stolen" tag from them.