Description of a regular crime | Crimes Detected Watch Dogs Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
After you reach the area, which has been marked on the map, your first task always is to identify the alleged perpetrator or, which is more probable, the victim of the crime. As a result, you need to activate the Profiler (press the hacking key/button) and scan the people around, up into the moment in which you locate the one marked in yellow.
Note - I recommend against using the cameras mounted around, because you will then have less time to step in, after the actual crime takes place.
After you identify to perpetrator/victim, you need to keep a safe distance to prevent being spotted too early. Do not allow the yellow triangle to fill up and, depending on the location, either take cover, or turn away from the perpetrator (an example in the above screenshot).
The next step is to wait for the moment in which the bandit will be recognized, by the ctOS system, as one that is about to commit a crime. You will be able to tell that person by the changing Profiler readings, where the bandit is marked in red, instead of yellow. Usually, this takes place only after that person produces a gun or starts planting an explosive. Only then, can you step into action.
Note - If you are too fast to stop the crime, or if you are spotted by the bandit prematurely, the side mission ends in failure and you receive no rewards. However, this does not means that you lose the opportunity to complete this mission, irreversibly. It may still activate once again, later into the game.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the best way to avoid the crime is to run up to the bandit, as quickly as possible. He should then dart away. The only exception are the situations in which the bandit already targeted his gun at the victim. Then, there is very little time left for you to react and it is a good idea to try avoiding the civilian's death, by shooting several shots, at the criminal (not necessarily the lethal ones).
While chasing the bandit, it is best to try handling them down in melee, i.e. to catch up with him (the acceptable distance is 5 meters) and press the melee key/button. Thanks to this, you will ensure yourself with the most experience points (you receive as much as a half of the amount, if you kill the bandit. If you still want to kill the criminal,, I recommend that you use your firearm combined with Focus, or hack into an element of the environments and blow it up (e.g. a transformer, when the bandit stand near it).
Note - there are separated situations in which there may be an additional obstacle to completing the side mission. If the bandit is shooting at Aiden, while escaping, try to run in serpentine course and, as soon as you notice that he is running towards a vehicle, damage/destroy it sufficiently early or play a car chase.