I've got a beef with you Oblivion!

[Porky Pine]

Started a character in Oblivion and while walking around the Imperial city, been raiding the boxes and crates that you see lying around. Hey, the bag icon doesn't turn red so it must be ok, right?

Anyway, after a day or so of doing this under the nose of everyone with no one yelling at me, I'm walking around with the head guard walking next to me. He even says "Good evening citizen" to me. I then decide to talk to him where he promptly calls me a thief and arrests me!

WTF Bethseda? If you're going to make browsing through the outdoor crates a illegal activity, at least turn the bag icon red like you do when you're in a building or have someone yell at you the first time you do it.

[Thegide]

Originally Posted by Porky Pine

Started a character in Oblivion and while walking around the Imperial city, been raiding the boxes and crates that you see lying around. Hey, the bag icon doesn't turn red so it must be ok, right?

Anyway, after a day or so of doing this under the nose of everyone with no one yelling at me, I'm walking around with the head guard walking next to me. He even says "Good evening citizen" to me. I then decide to talk to him where he promptly calls me a thief and arrests me!

WTF Bethseda? If you're going to make browsing through the outdoor crates a illegal activity, at least turn the bag icon red like you do when you're in a building or have someone yell at you the first time you do it.

It's not illegal to loot outdoor crates that do not show a red icon. If you were arrested for stealing, the guard would have caught you in the act.

Guards will not arrest you after the fact for theft, because theft does not increase your bounty.

You were arrested for talking to a guard while there was a bounty on your head. This happened to me when I was fighting some mobs outside Weynon Priory with the help of allies. A couple of swings hit my allies, and I got a bounty for "assault". Then I later talked to a guard and was arrested. Ooops.

So, if you've got a bounty - pay off your fines before talking to a guard!

[juanleche]

Originally Posted by Thegide

It's not illegal to loot outdoor crates that do not show a red icon. If you were arrested for stealing, the guard would have caught you in the act.

Guards will not arrest you after the fact for theft, because theft does not increase your bounty.

You were arrested for talking to a guard while there was a bounty on your head. This happened to me when I was fighting some mobs outside Weynon Priory with the help of allies. A couple of swings hit my allies, and I got a bounty for "assault". Then I later talked to a guard and was arrested. Ooops.

So, if you've got a bounty - pay off your fines before talking to a guard!

Those fine fellows in the theif guild can help you out with that also

[Luis_A51]

Wrong. If you talk to a guard he can "see" your inventory, and stolen items are clearly distinguished from regular ones. He doesnt need to catch you in the act.

If you steal, then discard/stash/sell (although few merchants take stolen items, they can tell as well) and THEN talk to a guard, theres no problem.

You might have accidentaly swiped an item from somebody. Maybe the act of oppening the chest itself isnt a crime, but taking something in there (with a red hand beside it) was considered stealing.

Also, in your haste to take legal stuff off a table or something you might have accidently swiped something.

[juanleche]

C'mon, you know what you did. you thought you got away with it. You fought the law and the law won

[Thegide]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Wrong. If you talk to a guard he can "see" your inventory, and stolen items are clearly distinguished from regular ones. He doesnt need to catch you in the act.

If you steal, then discard/stash/sell (although few merchants take stolen items, they can tell as well) and THEN talk to a guard, theres no problem.

You might have accidentaly swiped an item from somebody. Maybe the act of oppening the chest itself isnt a crime, but taking something in there (with a red hand beside it) was considered stealing.

Also, in your haste to take legal stuff off a table or something you might have accidently swiped something.

While I agree with most of what you are saying, you are incorrect about the guard "seeing" your inventory.

I've been playing Oblivion GOTY for the last month almost religiously. I have many many stolen items on me - the majority are alchemy ingredients, potions, and scrolls, but I have had stolen armor, lockpicks, repair hammers, and weapons. I routinely talk to guards and have never once been bugged for having stolen items on me.

Guards ONLY arrest you when you accumulate a bounty. You get a bounty when you are CAUGHT committing a crime (stealing, assault, murder) by any NPC. If there are guards around, they will respond to the NPCs calls for help and you are arrested immediately. If there are no guards around, you still get the bounty (since you were caught), but are not arrested unless you seek out and talk to a guard.

[Nathan_Drake]

You didn't by any chance do something stupid like go in sneak mode and instead of trying to talk to him you tried to pickpocket him?

[Blu-Beard]

Originally Posted by Nathan_Drake

You didn't by any chance do something stupid like go in sneak mode and instead of trying to talk to him you tried to pickpocket him?

ha ha ha I did that a few times when I first started playing it

[Nathan_Drake]

Originally Posted by Blu-Beard

ha ha ha I did that a few times when I first started playing it

Me too . Thats why I was so quick to suggest it.

[miokti]

i got nabbed for trying to cast "stark reality" all over the place.

[actionhank]

From the Oblivion Wiki:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Crime

When you commit a crime in sight of a guard or townsperson, a guard will immediately try to arrest you. You are unable to fast travel while the guards are looking for you. However, if you resist the first arrest and escape to safety, then the guards will no longer immediately arrest you on sight, but you will still have a bounty on your head. Engaging in conversation with a guard while you have an unpaid bounty will always result in arrest, meaning that certain quests such as Taking Care of Lex will be impossible to complete until you have paid this bounty.

I also pretty sure that guards can't "see" you're inventory. I have 225 hours on the game.

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by Nathan_Drake

You didn't by any chance do something stupid like go in sneak mode and instead of trying to talk to him you tried to pickpocket him?

Also, be sure NOT to fondle his doodle. I get the pokey eveytime for that. Can't a guy have any fun around here?