The Diamond (Thieves in Time)

Lore & Background

In the world of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, the Cooper gang finds itself pulled into a crisis of temporal theft. Clockwerk, a corrupted future version of Bentley, has begun stealing moments and artifacts across history, and the gang must race through different eras to stop him. Heists like The Diamond are embedded in this larger conflict: each target is not merely a score for the gang but a piece of the puzzle Clockwerk is assembling to reshape time.

The Diamond heist specifically calls on the gang's signature blend of stealth, acrobatics, and teamwork. Sly's agility and quick-punch combos, Bentley's gadgetry and tech-savvy, and Murray's brute-force takedowns all find a role in working through the security layers that protect the gem. The environment is designed so that no single character can complete the job alone, reinforcing the cooperative identity of the Thieves' Guild.

Within the game's narrative, completing heists like this one advances the gang's understanding of Clockwerk's plans and unlocks further time-travel opportunities. The diamond itself is less about its monetary value and more about what it represents in the timeline Clockwerk is trying to rewrite.

In Their Own Story

The vault hummed with a low, almost musical frequency, as if the diamond at its center were breathing. Sly crouched on a gilded railing, earbuds in, listening to the guard rotation below. "Two minutes, Bentley. Make it count."

Bentley's goggles flickered as he keyed a bypass into the lock panel, his fingers dancing over the interface. Murray, meanwhile, stood perfectly still in the corner, pretending to be a very large, very uninterested potted plant. A guard's flashlight swept past his broad back. He did not breathe.

The lock clicked. The case swung open. The diamond caught the overhead light and threw a thousand tiny rainbows across the vault walls. Sly snatched it, tucked it into his bandana, and was already vaulting toward the skylight.

"Nice work, boys." He grinned. "Now let's go before someone else's future shows up to complain."

Reader's Guide

Target: A single high-value diamond secured in a guarded vault or display area. The heist requires coordinated use of all three Cooper gang members to bypass security, disable or distract guards, and extract the gem before an alarm or timer escalates the situation.

Obstacles typically include patrolling guards, locked or tech-secured panels, and environmental hazards that punish sloppy movement. Bentley's gadgets are essential for interacting with electronic locks and disabling security systems, while Murray's takedowns handle larger threats or physical barriers. Sly's mobility and quick-punch combos let the team reposition fast and deal with smaller guards quietly.

In the story arc, The Diamond sits as a mid-chapter set-piece that advances the gang's progress toward confronting Clockwerk. It is not the final heist of the game but serves as a skill checkpoint, reinforcing the time-management and teamwork systems the later, more complex heists build upon.

Alternate approaches: Players can often skip certain guards by using stealth routes or environmental distractions rather than taking them down directly. Hidden collectibles (gears, gems, or character-specific items) are scattered along less-traveled paths, rewarding exploration. Completing the heist with a high score or without triggering alarms may unlock bonus content or cosmetic rewards. Experimenting with different character orderings and gadget combinations can reveal faster or more creative solutions.

Did You Know?

• Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time was developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the same studio behind the earlier Sly Cooper entries and the inFamous series.
• The game's central antagonist, Clockwerk, is a future version of Bentley, making the time-travel conflict deeply personal for the Cooper gang.
• The three playable characters—Sly, Bentley, and Murray—each have distinct move sets, and heists are designed so that no single character can complete the job alone.
• Thieves in Time was the first Sly Cooper title to feature fully 3D environments rendered in a more modern visual style compared to the earlier entries.