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GTA 5 · Characters
Lester Crest: The Hacker Behind Every GTA 5 Heist
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Lester Crest is the hacker and heist planner of GTA V (2013). An old member of Michael and Trevor's crew, he plans the game's heists, including the Union Depository, and later recruits players for GTA Online's heists. He uses a wheelchair because of a degenerative illness. Jay Klaitz plays him.
Played byJay Klaitz
RoleHacker, heist planner
GamesGTA V, GTA Online
PartnerGeorgina Cheng (Online)
Lester's Story in GTA V
Lester once worked with Michael and Trevor, but refused to take part in the 2004 Ludendorff job. He helps Michael pay off Martin Madrazo with a jewelry store heist, after first asking him to kill Lifeinvader CEO Jay Norris in Friend Request: Michael poses as an IT temp, rigs the prototype phone Norris is about to unveil, and calls it during the keynote. Lester then gives Franklin assassination jobs and plans the heists that lead to the Union Depository. His cover is the Darnell Bros. garment factory in La Mesa.
The Heists Lester Plans
| Heist | Approaches | What to know |
|---|---|---|
The Jewel Store Job | Smart: BZ gas through the vents, after the Bugstars Equipment and BZ Gas Grenades setups. Loud: armed entry, after Carbine Rifles | Up to $4,946,153, of which $2.5 million goes to Martin Madrazo; Lester takes 14%. Best crew: Karim Denz driving, Packie McReary as gunman, Rickie Lukens as hacker |
The Paleto Score | One approach | The FIB will not fund the Humane Labs raid, so the crew robs the Paleto Bay bank; the FIB keeps 78% of the take |
The Bureau Raid | Fire Crew or Roof Entry | A fixed $331,985; Michael turns down his share |
The Big Score | Subtle or Obvious | $201.6 million gross. Subtle needs a $300,000 bribe and a bigger crew, so Obvious pays more; in Obvious, Lester rides in Trevor's helicopter and shoots down Merryweather's with a rocket launcher |
Lester takes 12% of The Paleto Score, The Bureau Raid and The Big Score.
Lester's Assassinations and the Stock Market
Lester gives Franklin five assassinations. Only The Hotel Assassination is required in the story; after it, Lester buys Franklin a house at 3671 Whispymound Drive in Vinewood Hills. The other four can wait until after The Big Score, so you can invest its payout in the stocks each hit moves:
| Mission | Target | Reward | Stock tip |
|---|---|---|---|
The Hotel Assassination | Brett Lowrey, CEO of Bilkinton Research | $9,000 and Franklin's house | Buy Betta Pharmaceuticals before, Bilkinton Research after |
The Multi Target Assassination | Four jurors bought by Redwood Cigarettes | $7,000 | Buy Debonaire before, Redwood after (about 300%) |
The Vice Assassination | Jackson Skinner, a Facade executive | Up to $5,000 | Buy Fruit before, Facade after |
The Bus Assassination | Isaac Penny, who wants to take over Vapid | Up to $7,000 | Buy Vapid after (about 100%) |
The Construction Assassination | Enzo Bonelli, on a Pillbox Hill building site | $10,000 | Buy GoldCoast before |
Does Lester Die?
No. Lester is alive in all three endings. In The Third Way, Franklin goes to him; Lester first suggests killing Michael and Trevor, then sets the trap: make the FIB and Merryweather believe the trio is melting the gold at the Murrieta Heights foundry. He then locates Steve Haines, Stretch, Wei Cheng and Devin Weston for the final hits.
Lester in GTA Online
| Update | Lester's role |
|---|---|
From rank 10 | A phone contact who sells services: a bounty on a player, removing your wanted level, Cops Turn Blind Eye, Off the Radar and Reveal Players |
Heists (10 March 2015) | He opens the original heists at rank 12 with a high-end apartment, and gives The Fleeca Job and The Pacific Standard Job |
Bikers (2016) | As LJT, he runs The Open Road, the network where club presidents buy their businesses |
The Doomsday Heist (12 December 2017) | He introduces the player to billionaire Avon Hertz and his AI, Cliffford |
The Diamond Casino Heist (12 December 2019) | With Georgina Cheng; it needs an arcade as a front and offers Silent & Sneaky, The Big Con and Aggressive approaches |
Agents of Sabotage (10 December 2024) | His old Darnell Bros. factory goes on sale as a property, GTA$2,350,000 |
Jay Klaitz
Jay Klaitz, from Jacksonville, Florida, is also half of the comedy music duo Future Folk, as The Mighty Kevin, seen in the film The History of Future Folk (2013). He did additional voices in Red Dead Redemption.
Every other character, with their voice actor, is on our GTA 5 characters page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays Lester Crest?
Jay Klaitz, also known as The Mighty Kevin of the duo Future Folk.
Which heists does Lester plan in GTA 5?
The Jewel Store Job, The Paleto Score, The Bureau Raid and The Big Score at the Union Depository.
When should you do Lester's assassination missions?
After The Big Score, except The Hotel Assassination, which the story requires, so you can invest its payout in the stocks each hit moves.
Is Lester in GTA Online?
Yes. He is a phone contact from rank 10, runs the original heists, and is behind The Doomsday Heist and The Diamond Casino Heist.
Why is Lester in a wheelchair?
He suffers from a degenerative illness.
Does Lester die in GTA 5?
No. He survives all three endings and plans the trap of The Third Way.