How to sell stolen items in Starfield

Stolen items are a remarkably common commodity on the many questionable planets you’ll come across in your adventure. Many shops won’t take this loot off your hands to uphold the law. So, how do you sell stolen items in Starfield? This guide will teach you how to find the shady salesmen required to make a fortune.

The difference between stolen items and contraband

There are two main types of illegal goods in Starfield: contraband and stolen items. Contraband consists of illicit items that are banned in several parts of the settled systems through predetermined laws, whereas stolen items are simply goods that don’t belong to you. In short, contraband is illegal to own, but stolen goods are merely hard to sell.

Stolen items are marked by a red chevron in your inventory; these cannot be sold to normal vendors as they refuse to trade in illegal goods. The most profitable way to get rid of them is through the Trade Authority, which has several buildings and many posts throughout the Settled Systems.

How to sell stolen items in Starfield

The Alternating Currents mission pretty much confirms that the Trade Authority is a shady business, but that’s not a bad thing, especially if you want to offload some stolen items. Trade Authority deals in stolen goods and contraband—you can even use the buy-back option to unmark items if you want to find a better deal at other shops.

Where to sell stolen items in Starfield

The Trade Authority offices are located in four areas: Cydonia on Mars, Neon in Volii Alpha, The Wells in Jemison—New Atlantis, and The Den, a space station located in the Wolf System. They can be tricky to locate as Starfield does not include any maps, so make sure to check out our guide showing all Trade Authority locations.

Unfortunately, the litany of Trade Authority kiosks scattered throughout the Settled Systems is limited when it comes to selling potential as a human is required to carry out most of the dirty work. You cannot sell any contraband, and sale options surrounding stolen goods are limited at best.

Watch out for the law

Ship scanning is a big part of Starfield‘s intricate law system. Each time you enter a new region, ships orbiting the area will scan your ship for any illicit items. Fines or jail time may occur if you get caught with contraband on your ship.

Luckily, stolen goods will not set off any alarms, but they will also be taken alongside other punishments if you get caught, so be careful during your travels.