The Cayo Perico Heist - GTA 5 Guide - IGN (2024)

The Cayo Perico Heist is a Heist in Grand Theft Auto Online which tasks players with infiltrating a fortified island to obtain sensitive documents and return them to the Madrazo crime family (and steal whatever isn’t nailed down).

Players: 1-4 (Heist Prep, Setup, and Finale Mission)

Section Select

An infamous drug lord, who goes by the name “El Rubio,” has stolen sensitive documents from the Madrazo crime family, and is attempting to blackmail them. The Madrazos will stop at nothing to get them back, and have enlisted your aid, as well as that of a Russian submarine operator named Pavel, to infiltrate Cayo Perico and steal them back.

This is the first GTA Online Heist that can be completed solo, but you can also bring along your trusted allies to make things interesting.

NOTE: This guide will tell you how to finish the entire Heist alone. If you can bring friends, that’s a bonus!

Before You Get Started

To begin The Cayo Perico Heist, you’ll need to sort out a few things first. First, you’ll need to be a VIP, CEO, or Motorcycle Club (MC) President. You can register in the SecuroServ section (or other parts) of the Interaction Menu to make that happen.

Additionally, if you don’t already own a Penthouse at the Diamond Casino and Resort, you’ll need to buy one.

Head to the Diamond Casino and head inside, then turn left and approach the customer service desk. The terminal on the far left side of the desk is the Penthouse computer, so use it to purchase a Penthouse.

Once you own a Penthouse, you’ll gain access to The Music Locker, a club in the basem*nt of The Diamond.

Meeting Madrazo

From the customer service desk at The Diamond Casino, turn around and take the elevator down to The Music Locker. Once you reach the bottom, exit the elevator and head down the spiral staircase. Take the door on the left to enter the club.

Once you are inside, make your way through the dance floor and head to the VIP section on the left to initiate a short cutscene.

After meeting Miguel Madrazo, who will ask you to infiltrate Cayo Perico and take back some sensitive files the drug lord “El Rubio” has in his possession, leave the casino.

The Kosatka

Open your phone menu (Triangle/Y) and head to the Internet app, then go to Warstock Cache & Carry. The top option should be the “Kosatka” submarine, which you’ll need to purchase to proceed.

Once you’ve bought the Kosatka, you’ll have access to your new contact, and submarine operator, Pavel.

Open the Interaction Menu (hold down Touchpad/View button for several seconds) and select Services, then go to Kosatka and request the vehicle. If you are close to the coast, it will surface nearby.

NOTE: You can also set the Kosatka as your spawn location, which can save a ton of time by logging out and logging back in.

Next, use the same menu to Request A Dinghy, which will spawn a boat near your location.

Climb aboard and ride out to the Kosatka, then climb on top and find a hatch, then head inside to meet Pavel. After a short cutscene, you’ll gain access to the bridge.

Heist Intel

After selecting the first leg of the Heist from the terminal, you’ll need to meet Dave and Keinemusik at the LSIA Private Terminal in southern Los Santos.

Use a dinghy to get back to land, then drive to the airport. Approach the southeastern gate, then cross the runway to find the private hangar.

Approach to initiate the cutscene. Once it’s over, you’ll be on the island with El Rubio.

Hop into the driver’s seat and drive your host to his compound, then, after the show starts, sneak away.

Once you are outside, you have a few options. You can cut left and find a boat to take to the other side of the island and get there a bit faster, or you can cut right and make your way through the island’s defenses on foot.

Avoid being seen by cameras and guards and you’ll arrive outside El Rubio’s compound.

Pavel will call and tell you about a communications tower you can use to hack into the CCTVs and find the vault.

Make your way to the tower, then head through the gate and climb the ladder to reach the upper platform. Turn right to find the box, then hack in and solve the puzzle to gain access.

Cycle through the cameras until you find the Basem*nt feed, then turn the camera left to get a view of the safe.

Keep cycling through the cameras until you find Office - Cam 1, which is El Rubio’s office. It has a fingerprint lock on an elevator leading to the basem*nt, which is the last thing you need to finish this leg of the Heist.

Feel free to look through other cameras to find optional rewards like cash, weapons, and more, or leave now to continue.

Once you are done scoping out the compound, head to the North Dock to continue. Once you arrive, take a picture of the water, then send it to Pavel (Square/X button).

After that, search the surrounding warehouses and send Pavel more pictures of things you will be able to steal once the Heist is underway.

Finally, you’ll need to find some Bolt Cutters. Head towards the water from the first warehouse and you’ll find them sitting on a ledge. Take a picture and send it to Pavel, then you’ll have to make a choice.

At this point, you can continue scouting the island and taking note of additional valuables, but you also have all the essentials needed to begin the next phase of the Heist. Gather what information you like, then head back to the airfield.

Once you reach the runway, Pavel will radio and tell you he needs a photo of the control tower. Head down the runway and get a picture, then send it to him. Once that’s done, head back to the main building, just off the runway, and speak to the pilot to return to Los Santos.

Make your way back to the Kosatka and access the planning board to begin the next section.

Heist Prep: Approach Vehicles

At this point, you’ll need to complete a Heist Prep Mission, which will be different based on which vehicle you want to use to infiltrate Cayo Perico.

Options

• Submarine: Kosatka

• Plane: Alkonost

• Plane: Velum

• Boat: Stealth Annihilator

• Boat: Patrol Boat

• Boat: Longfin

Heist Prep - Submarine: Kosatka

We’re going with the Kosatka approach, so head to the highlighted section of the seas around Los Santos in the Kosatka, where we’ll approach the Merryweather Test Site to obtain a sonar scrambler.

NOTE: To speed things up, you can sit down at the bridge controls on the Kosatka and select Fast Travel to move to the section of the ocean that is closest to the destination, or you can travel via land, then use Services on the Interaction Screen to send the Kosatka, then call for it again, and it will spawn in the water near you.

Use the Periscope to target and fire missiles at the boats and helicopter near the base, then jump into the water and dive. Approach the submarine’s glowing yellow hatch to head inside.

Equip some Body Armor and a close-range weapon like a Shotgun or SMG, then make your way to the bridge. Check your corners, as enemies are hiding to shoot you as you pass.

Once you reach the Bridge, take out the crew there and grab the package, then head back out the way you came in and board the Kosatka to complete the mission.

Heist Prep: Equipment

Once you’ve secured your approach vehicle, you’ll need to obtain some equipment to make the break-in possible. You have a few options, but you’ll need to get most of them before moving on to the Heist Finale.

Options

• Demolition Charges

• Safe Code

• Fingerprint Cloner

• Cutting Torch

Heist Prep - Equipment: Cutting Torch

If you want to complete a stealth Heist, which is by far the safest route when completing the Cayo Perico Heist by yourself, you’ll need to get the Cutting Torch.

This Heist Prep Mission becomes available after you have scoped out the Drainage Grate Infiltration Spot, so make sure you’ve done that in Heist Intel before attempting to proceed.

Select the mission from the Heist Prep station, then take a Dinghy ashore and grab a vehicle. Drive to the construction site and head to the glowing yellow spot in the elevator to proceed inside the building.

From there, continue to climb the ramps and stairs to reach the rooftop, where the Cutting Tool is located.

Before heading to the area where the construction workers are patrolling, pick up a Hardhat and equip it. This will enable you to blend in, as long as you still try to avoid staying too close to enemies for too long.

From there, head down into the construction site and look for toolboxes with glowing green arrows. Head from toolbox to toolbox until you’ve found the cutting tool, then grab it.

If you are seen, there aren’t many enemies, although the majority of them have are heavily armed (for some reason). Take any hostile forces out and head back to the elevator to return to ground level.

Get back in your car and outrun the hostile players or NPCs. Make your way back to the Kosatka to complete the mission and unlock the stealthy approach in the Heist Finale.

Heist Prep - Equipment: Demolition Charges

If you don't want to do the "stealthy" approach, you can opt to use Demolition Charges in your assault. In order to secure the Demolition Charges, select the prep mission from the Kosatka menu, and a waypoint will be set on the northeastern part of Los Santos.

Head to the marked area to find the O’Neil Brothers. There are nine of them, and they put up quite a fight, so be sure to bring body armor and heavy weapons.

NOTE: If you don’t want to bother with defenses, head to the field next to their hideout and stand behind the storage container and construction equipment and fire a Grenade Launcher over the storage container. You can use this strategy to kill them all without worrying about being hit, yourself.

Once they are all dead, Pavel will note that the demolition charges aren’t here, and he’ll direct you to the O’Neil home, instead.

Make your way there and head inside, then clear them out until one of them drops a security card, which grants access to the basem*nt, where the explosives are kept.

Pick up the keycard, then head to the basem*nt gate and unlock it. Head down to the basem*nt and take out the two guards there, then pick up the crate of explosives and head back to your car.

Your location will shortly be broadcast to other players, so hurry back to your Dinghy and the Kosatka to complete the mission.

NOTE: If you don’t want to deal with other players, simply play this mission in Invite Only mode.

Heist Prep - Equipment: Safe Code

You’ll need a Safe Code to gain access to the files Madrazo wants, so accept this section of Heist Prep from the planning station aboard the Kosatka, then head to the Diamond Casino.

Approach the elevator to initiate a cutscene and move to the penthouse floor. Follow the hallways around to Apartment 512, then use a silenced weapon to take out the guards and maintain the element of surprise.

Head inside and kill all the guards until you find the head of security. Check Pavel’s picture in the Messages section of your phone to get an idea of what they look like, if you need.

Once the head of security is dead, take the safe codes from their body, then head back to the elevators. Kill the guards or simply run to the glowing elevator to escape the casino.

Escape from the cops (or simply allow yourself to be killed), and you’ll complete the mission.

Heist Prep - Equipment: Fingerprint Cloner

In order to obtain the Fingerprint Cloner, you’ll need to select it from the Prep screen on Kosatka. Pavel will give you a waypoint in town, so head there and you’ll find a yellow glowing area you can use to enter the warehouse.

Guarding the entrance are two security cameras. If you find the box nearby, you can shut the security system off, but it’s honestly easy to just go in, guns blazing, so head inside.

Take out the handful of guards, then approach the table in the back to find the laptop which holds the archive location.

Complete a small hacking minigame to obtain the information you need, then head back outside.

Pavel will give you the second location, so head there next.

There are no guards in this section, but there are still two cameras, so go ahead and destroy them before heading inside.

Quickly move to the tables in the back to find the Fingerprint Cloner, then head back outside.

At this point, you’ll have a short time before your location is broadcast to other players.

NOTE: If you don’t want to deal with other players, simply play this mission in Invite Only mode.

Return to the Kosatka to complete the prep mission.

Heist Prep: Weapon Loadout

Now that your Approach Vehicle and Equipment is taken care of, it’s time to secure your Weapon Loadout.

Options

• Aggressor
• Conspirator
• Crack Shot
• Saboteur
• Marksman
• Suppressors

Heist Prep - Weapon Loadout: Conspirator

We chose to pick up the Conspirator Weapons Loadout. Select it from the menu aboard the Kosatka, then head outside.

For this mission, you’ll need to head to 707 Vespucci. Make your way there and you’ll have the option to go in the front door, guns blazing, or via the roof.

If you decide to take the direct approach, take out the guards outside the office, then head inside to reach the proper floor.

Use a Shotgun, or other close-range weapon to take out everyone in the office, then approach the laptop towards the back of the office.

Complete a short hacking minigame, then examine the wall nearby to find the weapons locker.

Grab the weapons and head outside, where you’ll be attacked by two helicopters.

Either take them out or try to outrun them back to the Kosatka. Once you head inside, you'll complete the mission, and be able to move on to the Finale.

Heist Finale

Now that all of the Prep work is done, you are ready to initiate the Finale. At this point, you can select from any of the options you’ve prepared for, and you can Hire Support Crew to assist you during the mission (even if you are playing Solo).

Keep in mind that those Crew members will cost you money to hire, and you’ll need to select certain approaches, or complete additional objectives during the Heist, to make use of them.

Once you are ready to go, select Start from the menu aboard the Kosatka and the Finale will begin.

Heist Finale - The Grate

We’re choosing a stealthy approach, using the Kosatka to approach and cut through the drainage grate. This will allow us to avoid the vast majority of enemies during the Heist, and it will allow us to complete it in pure stealth, minimizing the risk of failure, even while playing solo.

Swim from the Kosatka to the grate, past the mines, then use the Cutting Tool to sever the grate at the highlighted green points.

Once you are through, continue swimming up through the tunnel and into the glowing yellow area to enter El Rubio’s compound.

Once you are inside, you’ll be very close to El Rubio’s office. Facing the ocean, turn right and head up the stairs, then turn right again.

During the Heist, you’ll need to keep a close eye on patrolling enemies via your minimap. Once you have an opening, head to the well-lit room ahead with the dartboard, and wait for another clearing in enemy patrols.

Once the path ahead is clear, head up the stairs to the right and you’ll see a multi-story building on your left. This is the goal.

Climb that staircase and head left, around the corner and kill the guard with a suppressed headshot. Continue around the corner and up the stairs to find the entrance to El Rubio’s office, stealthily killing each guard you come across. One of them should drop a gate key that we’ll use during the escape

Approach the desk to pick up a key, then move to the keypad and begin hacking it.

You’ll need to solve several fingerprint cloning puzzles, so make the figure on the left match the one on the right to complete it and proceed.

Once you’ve finished it, head into the elevator and ride it to the bottom. Once you reach the bottom, use the Cutting Tool to break through the gate, then turn left.

Pavel will message you the code for the safe, so use it to open it, securing the Madrazo Files.

Once you’ve picked up the files, head right to reach a gate with a keycode entry gate, then use the key you got from the guard to bypass it.

Turn left and head back up to the main area. At this point, all you have to do is get to an exfiltration point, so move past the guards the same way you did on the way in.

NOTE: At this point, you can gather more loot from around the complex, and all around the island, but we have everything we need to complete the operation successfully.

Head towards the glowing yellow spot near the gate to exit the compound, then either grab a vehicle or run towards your chosen escape point to complete the Heist and claim your reward.

If you are having trouble escaping, remember that the water is almost entirely safe. Dive underwater to avoid patrolling boats, and you can simply swim to your exfil point, making for a more time consuming, but safer exit.