The Probably Stolen fence guide verdict is short: the Fence is the contraband start, it needs a good hiding spot and a straight face, and the margin and the enforcement pressure arrive together. That pairing is exactly why it ranks in B tier rather than higher.
On this page
Probably Stolen fence guide: contraband and raids
The Fence's ruin type is contraband and raids. You can hide stolen goods, bribe your way out when you are caught, and unlock advanced licences for the underground market — but each of those is a resource you have to budget.
| Requirement | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|
A good hiding spot | Contraband cannot sit on an open display |
A straight face | Bribery is an explicit mechanic |
A bribe budget separate from rent | Failing to afford one ends in confiscation |
Advanced licences | They open the underground market and its deals |
The working procedure
Put legal merchandise in the display case before opening.
Move contraband into the smuggler bay before opening.
Do it if Security could inspect.
Authenticate lots before hiding them.
Keep hot merchandise off the exterior counter overnight.
The underground market page covers how the licences are bought and what the five-point test is before a gray-market purchase, and the shop inventory page maps the smuggler bay against the other surfaces.
What changed in Patch 48.3.12
The old exploit is gone: you can no longer briefly display illegal goods, transfer them into the smuggler bay just before an inspection, and bank the Security reputation that came with it. Concealment is now a requirement rather than a scoring trick.
What insurance does not cover
Joe Wild's insurance covers burglary but not a contraband raid, so the two risks are not interchangeable. Plan for a raid out of the licence budget rather than out of the insurance line, and treat underground income as a reserve accelerator for the buyout rather than as rent-paying inventory.
Black Market reputation moves with your choices and is documented as handling differently at −40. Higher standing opens exclusive opportunities and raises danger at the same time.