5 of the most unforgettable heists in the GTA series

Heists have played a crucial role within the GTA series (especially as of late), with some unforgettable heists becoming fan-favorites amongst the community.

They're often one of the most profitable missions in the entire game. It makes sense too, given that the whole objective for these missions involves the player stealing something expensive. Even if the player didn't remember the missions themselves, it would be hard to forget about the giant lump of cash they received.

As it stands though, the GTA franchise has a rich series of heists that stand on their own merits. They're fun and are often innovative to the point that they seem completely different from the rest of the game.

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Five of the most unforgettable heists in the GTA series

5) Three Leaf Clover (GTA 4)

GTA 4 only has one heist in the game, and it's an unforgettable one. Three Leaf Clover is a classic heist, and it doesn't involve the shenanigans that players would see in GTA 5 or Online.

Instead, it continues GTA 4's more realistic approach, which naturally meant that not everything went according to plan. Michael Keane dies when one of the hostages shoots him, and the crew then has to deal with numerous cops swarming in from every direction.

Plus, Luis Fernando Lopez makes a cameo in this mission, which is pretty cool.

4) Breaking the Bank at Caligula's (GTA San Andreas)

This was the first heist in the series to have several setup missions involving the place the protagonist was going to rob. GTA Vice City's The Job only focused on the recruitment process, with the bank itself only showing up in the finale.

The setup missions were iconic in and of themselves, but the heist itself was also special. It made good use of night vision goggles, and the sight of CJ leaping across a building and landing on another with a parachute was awesome.

Plus, seeing Zero get punched was oddly cathartic.

3) The Big Score (GTA 5)

GTA 5 is the first GTA game to have heists as one of its central mission types. Other GTA games would only have one and that's it. However, GTA 5 goes above and beyond and has six massive heists for the player to execute.

The Big Score is undeniably one of the most memorable heists in the series. It's straight out of an action flick (in the obvious approach, anyhow), and both approaches are so over-the-top that they're borderline awesome to play through.

It also helps that this heist has the best payout in GTA history for a single run.

2) The Jewel Store Job (GTA 5)

This heist introduced GTA 5 players to the new "heist mechanic," and it was innovative. The premise was simple, but the idea of choosing crew members and an approach made this heist stand out.

Later heists would follow this same principle, but it's often the first one that tends to get remembered more. It's also a fun heist in its own right, and it's not as over-the-top as some later heists can be.

1) The Cayo Perico Heist (GTA Online)

Some GTA Online players believe that the Cayo Perico Heist is the most efficient heist in the game. That's a fair assumption for several reasons. For starters, it's the most recent heist in the game, so naturally, its payout will be pretty good.

Second, it's the only heist that can be done solo in GTA Online. It's a massive benefit that's hard to overlook, especially since GTA Online players tend to repeat certain heists to make a quick buck.

It also helps that the Cayo Perico Heist takes place in a completely different location and also features some memorable characters like Pavel.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.