The Podium Robbery is a Salvage Yard Heist in GTA Online that you have access to on a rotational basis. The three that are available change with each weekly update, where not only the base story but even the target vehicle is refreshed. Since it can offer about $300,000-$550,000, it’s one of the recommended, fun methods of earning money via the Diamond Casino.
If you’re starting from scratch, the first story involves stealing a car that is in a class of its own – a prototype model that will satisfy your business partner Yusuf Amir. Further, you will be carrying out The Podium Robbery, as well as other Salvage Yard Heists in GTA Online, with his brother, Jamal Amir. Here is how this heist works.
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How to Complete GTA Online: Salvage Yard Heist – The Podium Robbery
To start The Podium Robbery, register as the CEO of an organization and head to the computer in the Salvage Yard. Pick the target car that will be stolen via this Salvage Yard Heist. Jamal will then pull up the Planning Wall, which will show the full details only when the Scope Out mission is completed. Fortunately, this particular job doesn’t reappear in subsequent reruns. Meanwhile, you can also complete the Salvage Yard’s Tow Truck Service Missions to get some extra cash.
The Podium Robbery – Scope Out
For the Scope Out mission, you will need to head to the Diamond Casino and take three pictures. Once there, go right and use your smartphone’s Snapmatic app to take a picture of the exit tunnel; you will be using it to escape with the target car in this Salvage Yard Heist’s finale in GTA Online.
Next, head towards the opposite end and take a picture of the side entrance; this will be your point of entry later on. Do stay a bit further away while taking the shot, ensuring you don’t alert security.
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Finally, enter through the casino’s main entrance and take a picture of the podium car. This will be your target vehicle for this particular run of The Podium Robbery in GTA Online. Once that is done, simply head back to the Salvage Yard and go through the fleshed-out Planning Wall.
Overall, here is the gist of the Salvage Yard Heist:
- Detonate a bomb in the Diamond Casino’s toilets.
- Infiltrate as a Los Santos Department of Sanitation (LSDS) worker.
- Reach the elevator hatch and then the car storage facility.
- Eliminate enemies, escape with the target vehicle, and reach the Salvage Yard.
The Podium Robbery Planning Work #1 – LSDS Disguises (Mandatory)
As per the plan, you will need to get an LSDS truck and uniform to safely infiltrate the Diamond Casino in The Podium Robbery’s finale in GTA Online. Once you begin the mission from the Planning Computer, head to the sewage treatment facility (Fort Zancudo or Elysian Island). A handy helicopter such as the Sparrow or the Havok, with great agility and firepower, will be of great use here.
When you reach the destination, take out the three marked sewage tankers. Now, take out the vehicles and enemies present before you head out to the green markers and turn the valves to release more sewage. Once you’re all done, the contamination bar will fill up, and the LSDS will arrive. At this point, all you need to do is steal the marked LSDS truck with the uniforms inside, and high-tail it all the way back to the Salvage Yard.
The Podium Robbery Planning Work #2 – Storage Key Card (Mandatory)
The next Planning Work mission of this Salvage Yard Heist in GTA Online involves stealing a storage key card from a Diamond Casino valet, Felipe. Once the job starts from the base, head out to Mirror Park. If you registered as a CEO in this Grand Theft Auto game, then choosing the buzzard for $25,000 will be of great use here and in other missions.
The marked searchable area is quite big, but this is where your ride will come in handy. Move around the area swiftly, and keep a lookout for the valet’s BF Club car and two decorative flamingos in his yard. If you equipped the Oppressor Mk II with Homing Missiles, it should naturally lock onto his car when you’re in range and save you the extra effort.
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Now, head inside his home and intimidate him with a gun; you can choose to kill him, but that will make things more annoying for the remainder of The Podium Robbery. Take the storage key card he gives away and loot the safety box in the other room. Once you’re back outside, you will have a two-star wanted level if you left Felipe alive, and a three-star if you killed him. Simply head back to the Salvage Yard and the job will be done.
The Podium Robbery Planning Work #3 – Disrupt Personnel (Optional)
The optional “Disrupt” Planning Work is common for all Salvage Yard Heists in GTA Online, although the details differ among them. The objective is to take out the Diamond Casino’s security in advance, so you cut down the resistance in the final leg of The Podium Robbery’s finale.
It is once again recommended to have a very fast car for this Grand Theft Auto mission due to the 10-minute deadline, and you will need a great chunk of it to get all the objectives done.
Once started from base, head to the marked location and take out the cars outside the motel room. Go inside the room, kill the Duggan Lieutenant, and gain information from his phone. As soon as you’re out, head to the three marked personnel vehicles and take them out. Keep an eye on the time and don’t engage with the rogue pursuers; it is imperative to finish this particular Salvage Yard Heist mission within the time limit to make things easier in the finale.
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This particular component of The Podium Robbery in GTA Online will be completed when all the targets are destroyed or the time runs out.
The Podium Robbery Task #1 – Gas Masks (Mandatory)
A key task, the objective here is to steal gas masks from the fire department. During the finale of this particular Salvage Yard Heist, the storage room with the target will be filled with poison gas once the alarm is raised. As such, you need to have adequate protection to make it out alive.
Since this mission isn’t difficult by any means, you can even choose a car like the Chop Shop update’s Albany Cavalcade XL to get things done. To start, head to the green Robbery Task icon on the GTA Online map and speak with Jamal. Post the call, head to the nearby fire station and steal some masks for yourself. As soon as you enter, the emergency workers will turn hostile; you will also get a two-star wanted level once you leave the premises.
This isn’t difficult by any margin, so simple drive away to the Salvage Yard and deliver the item uncontested.
The Podium Robbery Task #2 – Rappel Equipment (Mandatory)
You will need to have some rappelling equipment on hand since you’ll be dropping down the elevator shaft in this Salvage Yard Heist’s finale in GTA Online. To acquire the same, head to the green Robbery Task icon and call Jamal.
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You will be asked to steal the said items from a gang-controlled garage nearby. Ensure you are properly kitted out as there will be a close-quarter shootout as soon as you enter. Once you take them out, get the rappel equipment, kill the second small wave of enemies, and head out. All you need to do now is deliver the items to Jamal at the Salvage Yard.
The Podium Robbery Task #3 – Sabotage the Casino (Mandatory)
As per this particular Salvage Yard Heist plan in GTA Online, the finale will start off with an explosion in the toilets; this is similar to the final job in Vin Diesel and The Rock-starrer, Fast Five.
Head to the green Robbery Task icon in the Diamond Casino. Once Jamal calls and the mission gets triggered, simply head through the Inside Track doorway and towards the restrooms. Go to the final stall, plant the explosive, and head back out the same way. The completion will soon get marked.
The Podium Robbery Task #4 – Masks (Optional)
This task is common to all Salvage Yard Heists in GTA Online, and is optional as well. The objective is to reduce the opposition you face when you finally escape with the target car in the finale. However, the impact is too minor to consider doing it.
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If you do wish to complete this optional task, you will get a free mask. Simply head to the mask shop at Vespucci Beach and make your selection. The task will be completed right away.
GTA Online: Salvage Yard Heist – The Podium Robbery Finale
To start The Podium Robbery’s finale in Grand Theft Auto Online, you will need to access the Planning Computer once again. Before you get into this Salvage Yard Heist’s hustle and bustle, take a look at the bonus challenges that will help you make extra money in GTA Online:
- No lives lost – $10,000
- Reach the elevator hatch undetected – $10,000
- Escape the casino in 1 minute – $10,000
- All challenges completed – $20,000
When you start the mission and are back in free roam, take the LSDS truck to the marked vantage point overlooking the Diamond Casino and detonate the planted explosive via the Detonate Bomb contact in your phone.
Once that is done, head to the casino’s waste disposal entrance side, take the rappel equipment, and go in through the door you took a picture of during Scope Out in GTA Online. When inside, follow the guard and start mopping the mess that has been made. As soon as he is gone, sneak away to the elevator.
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Now, your task is to make it to the elevator hatch undetected. Follow the movement plan as in the Salvage Yard Heist finale video guide above. You need to go straight, take the right at the camera, take a left, take a right, take a right, and go straight and right from the camera, and then straight ahead to the set of rooms. Be mindful of the security cameras’ sight cones. You can use the flashlight to ensure the path is clear and there are no obstacles in your way, but mostly, this part of The Podium Robbery is pretty simple to execute in GTA Online.
When you reach the elevator hatch and the cutscene is done, rappel down to the storage area and open the doors. Equip strong weapons and avoid guns that are expensive but useless; this is important as there will be enemies you will need to take out. Further, the toxic gas will also be released, so put the gas mask on to protect yourself. Once you’ve eliminated all of them, head to the security pad, and complete the minigame to stop the gas and open the second security door.
There will be enemies here as well, so take them out. If you completed the optional Disrupt Personnel mission earlier on in this Salvage Yard Heist, the enemy count will be low. When they’re dead, take the target car and go up to the security cabin’s door. Head inside, kill the two guards, and complete the second minigame to open the security exit.
Now, get back into the car and simply speed away into the exit. When you’re out of the casino, you will have a four-star wanted level. Simply go straight ahead, then left, and then again straight ahead to the storm drains. Go into the tunnels and stay safe till the police are gone. Now all that’s left in The Podium Robbery is to deliver the car back to the Salvage Yard and then sell it to Yusuf at the Terminal for cash in GTA Online.
GTA Online
- Released
- October 1, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
