How to Steal the Rhino Tank in Grand Theft Auto V

Last Updated: October 15, 2021 References

A Rhino tank is the crown jewel of mayhem in GTA 5, but many strategies rely on using huge sums of money to achieve this goal. With the right approach and careful execution, stealing a Rhino tank is well within your reach. Be wary of rival tanks and military personnel, lest your tank get blown up before you can enjoy it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Stealing with a Cargobob

1
Acquire a cargobob. A cargobob is a military helicopter that you can find at two main locations: on the helipads inside Fort Zancudo or from Warstock Cache and Carry, where you can purchase one.
- At certain levels, you can find a cargobob at the Elysian Island helipad. Elysian Island is an industrial district in the Port of Lost Santos.^{[1]
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2
Use the cargobob's hook. Fly to Fort Zancudo and pick up your desired tank, keeping in mind that stealing the tank will draw the attention of military personnel at the fort. Stealing a tank separated from the rest and close to the edges of the fort might save you from taking lethal damage.
- If you have not already attended flight school and are not confident in your abilities as a pilot, the San Andreas Flight School Academy opens at the Los Santos International Airport after you complete scouting the port.^{[2]
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  Research source} Practice flying here.
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3
Escape to a safe place. While controlling the cargobob, it should be easy to fly to location out of sight and difficult for non-player characters to access. Once you have lost the cops, you can take possession of your tank.
4
Release the hook and take command of the tank. Lower your cargobob so that the tank is touching the ground. Release the tank, then land your cargobob and proceed immediately to the tank. Press the button prompted for taking command of the vehicle, and commence your reign of terror.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Tankjacking by Car

1
Equip yourself for battle. You will need to aggro a fully operational military facility to gain the Rhino tank you seek. Buy the highest grade of body armor, ammunition, and bullet proof tires.
- Sticky bombs can be especially useful after you gain entrance to the base. Drop a sticky bomb as you move through Fort Zancudo to keep enemies from sneaking up behind you.
2
Steal a fast car. This does not have to be a specialty model, a regular muscle car will do. You will need to reach a high enough speed to ramp your way into the military compound where you will find your new tank.
3
Find your ramp point, or breach a gate. Several points around Fort Zancudo can serve as access points to the fort, use one of these to jump your car into the fort. Another option you might attempt is crashing through a gate and making a beeline for the cargobob you will need to steal. When you have landed, immediately drive behind the jet hangers.
4
Evade lethal damage. Fort Zancudo is a highly dangerous place for unwelcome guests. You will have to contend with soldiers and military defenses while you search for a cargobob helicopter to lift your tank out of the compound.
5
Prepare to lift a tank. Park close to the copter and take control it, releasing the hook as soon as possible. You will have a lot of attention from military personnel at this point, so find a suitable Rhino tank quickly and hover over it.
6
Lift your tank and fly to freedom. As you hover over the Rhino tank you can to use your hook to lift the tank off the ground. Now you can fly away from Fort Zancudo to somewhere you can land and take control of your new tank.
7
Lower your tank and take possession. Descend your cargobob until your tank is touching the ground then release your hook. Immediately following, land your cargobob and take command of the tank.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Infiltrating by Parachute

1
Acquire any helicopter or plane. You can find aircraft at various points throughout the map, but parachuting to the soon-to-be-yours Rhino tank will require you to bail out of your vehicle at an acceptable altitude while overhead Fort Zancudo. Some locations to consider:
- Los Santos Airport
- Los Santos Hospital
- Merryweather Helipad (Elysian Island)
- Vinewood Police Station (roof)
- Grapeseed Runway^{[3]
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2
Fly over Fort Zancudo and parachute in. Exit your aircraft at a significant enough altitude to safely parachute into Fort Zancudo and locate the tank you plan to heist. Activate your parachute by pressing the action button on your control, for Playstation users the default button should be "X." PC parachute deployment can be achieved by left clicking.^{[4]
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- You can practice parachuting and receive a crash course in deployment and usage by attending flight school.^{[5]
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  Research source} The San Andreas Flight School Academy opens at the Los Santos International Airport after you complete scouting the port.^{[6]
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- Parachuting into Fort Zancudo will earn you a four star wanted level, which will cause tanks, soldiers, and enemy vehicles to spawn.
3
Choose a Rhino tank and glide to it. As you fall, use your control to direct your line of sight to the base and find a tank suitable for your purposes. It should stand out against the asphalt or concrete with its tan camouflage.
- Make your approach with caution. Enemies, including tanks, will begin to fire on you before you hit the ground. Direct your parachute in evasive maneuvers to avoid being hit in the air.
4
Sprint to and commandeer your tank. The hatch of the Rhino tank is located in the front. Use the same button for commandeering any vehicle to gain access to your new Rhino tank. You character should hop up, pull the soldier out, and the tank will be yours.
5
Exit Fort Zancudo. There are many threats in the fort, and though highly durable, your tank is not indestructible.^{[7]
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Research source} In single player mode, the east and west sides of the fort are automatically controlled and as you approach, these will let you escape.
- Multiplayer mode does not have automatic gates that you can use to escape. If you use the parachute method in multiplayer mode, you will be unable to leave the base. Multiplayer users might consider stealing a cargobob helicopter after parachuting in to lift the Rhino tank out of the base.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I steal a Lamborghini in GTA 5?

Community Answer

The closest thing in Story mode is a Zentorno, in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions these are not roaming the city, although as it was added to the base game it can be accessed through the menu when you enter a garage that one of your protagonists own. In the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC versions, these cars can be found roaming with light modifications if tha'ts what you are wanting to do. Hope you get that Zentorno
Question

Will the tank blow up before we get it out of the base?

Community Answer

It might. It depends on your escape route. If you try charging out the fence you will die. Simply steal one near the gate and make a run for it in the Rhino.

Warnings

The Rhino is not invincible. It can take damage from bullets, and can be set on fire. It is also vulnerable to high explosives, like the shells fired from other tanks.

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Non-player tank drivers are quite accurate and may hit you even while taking evasive action.

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Cops will sacrifice themselves to ram the tank causing an explosion.

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Hitting cars will cause them to explode and damage the Rhino.

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