Hey there, so I've been a greytiding shit for a few months now, running about. Stealing things that aren't bolted down. Stealing things that ARE bolted down, building shotguns in maint and in general being security's most annoying friend ever.
I'm going to give you four general principles of Petty Crime and what I like to call 'Lesser Antagonism.' I call it that, because you're not a full blown antag, and shouldn't act like one, however your antics do serve as a distraction and smoke screen that might cover an antagonists tracks.
Anyhow. Principle one. And it's the most important principle of the lot. 1.) Security is not your enemy. But Enginseer! You'll object. This is a guide about petty crime? Shouldn't Shitcurity, who arrests you for doing that, be your enemy? No. And I'll tell you why. As long as you stick to the petty side of petty crime, they're at most a slight nuisance. You might lose a valuable tool (Goodbye my shotgun. Goodbye my vodka bottle full of napalm.) or get brigged for a few minutes. But ultimately, as long as you stick to the role of the petty criminal, they won't go after you too hard. Don't try to act like an antag. Act like a neutral agent. Not quite the law abiding crewmember, but still be willing to put a shotgun slug into a lings face to help an officer in need. You might not be abiding by the law, but you're still a crewmember of the Cyberiad. Act like it.
Anyhow, this is one of the more boring principles but also the most important. 2.) You can get away with a lot if you just ask and act like it's no big deal. Yes. I have before recieved some insane things, (Bluespace beaker full of Potassium? No problem!) just by asking in a way that seems nonchalant. The stranger you act about something, the more suspicious people will be. You get nothing from fighting or arguing with people. Because that just makes them dig in. Ask, and if you meet resistance, agree and go away and come at the problem from another angle or even just wait and ask someone else for the exact same thing. Or ask for something that sounds less dangerous but really amounts to the same thing. For example, oftentimes scientists will have no problem letting you use the autolathe, but would balk at the idea of giving you shotgun slugs. 3.) The Station is full of pieces that nine tenths of the time won't be missed. So, the station is big. And with our relatively short round times, there are plenty of times where you can cannibalize parts of the station and no one will even notice, let alone care. For example. Oftentimes you can pull the scrubbers pipes out of sec maintenance and the round will continue as normal as if nothing happened. This isn't ALWAYS the case mind you. But it is more than just possible. All those chairs and tables scattered around are valuable materials for guns, ammo, and other goodies you'll need as a criminal in the dangerous world of the Cyberiad. 4.) Take Risks. Fortune Favors the Bold. So, the whole point of playing a criminal character is high risk high reward. You abandon the relative safety of following SoP, take your life into your own hands and hope to space jesus that you don't get merced before you can make it big. Some rounds this approach works. Other rounds you bite the bullet early on. But the important thing is to just keep trying. And think about how you can do better next time. You're already on the bottom, what more is there to lose?