Snap & Grab Emerald Hourglass Guide – Stealing Methods

Snap & Grab’s Episode 1 pushes players to think laterally with increasingly complex heists, and the fourth mission is a prime example. The Emerald Hourglass heist demands coordinating your crew’s actions perfectly to navigate tight security and laser traps. This moment marks a clear difficulty spike that separates casual success from expert execution, making it an unforgettable challenge for players early on.

How to Steal the Emerald Hourglass in Snap & Grab

The Emerald Hourglass itself sits in the Rooftop Museum, an area off-limits and guarded closely. On the first floor of the apartment, a security guard named Kenny blocks the main access point. While wearing the Chef outfit lets you bypass Kenny, your crew members will need a more creative approach to get past him.

Once inside the Rooftop Museum on the upper floor, the hourglass is impossible to miss, right in the center. The catch? Two laser beams crisscross over the item, triggering alarms if touched. The central puzzle is how to either disable or evade these lasers to make a clean grab.

Method 1 – Short Circuit the Lasers with Water

The most straightforward tactic takes advantage of water’s ability to disable electronics. Start by having your Conversationalist engage Kenny to keep him occupied as the first move of your plan.

To bring water upstairs, locate two buckets within the building. One bucket stands in the bathroom near the Emerald Hourglass. The other is on the staff floor but guarded by a janitor whose attention is hard to divert.

Since direct distraction of the janitor isn’t an option, you’ll need to ensure no other guards are nearby to be summoned when he spots you. You can clear the area by tapping the glass near the security room first. That leaves the bucket safe to steal.

This heist requires both Brick and the Conversationalist to pour their buckets of water simultaneously on two statues flanking the hourglass. Synchronizing these actions disables the lasers, clearing the way for the final grab.

1. Have the Conversationalist talk to Kenny
2. Conversationalist taps the loud glass near the security room
3. Conversationalist grabs the bucket from the staff floor
4. Brick grabs the bucket in the Rooftop Museum bathroom
5. Both pour water on their respective statues at the same time
6. Brick grabs the Emerald Hourglass

With that done, it’s time to explore alternative methods that bypass the lasers differently.

Method 2 – Reflect the Lasers

If dumping water feels risky, you can cleverly redirect the lasers instead. Two mirrors are conveniently stashed in Erik Pop’s bedroom next to the Rooftop Museum, which become essential tools for this approach.

This approach simplifies the heist by substituting buckets with mirrors. Your crew simply needs to move the mirrors into place to safely reflect the laser beams away from the hourglass.

1. Conversationalist talks to Kenny
2. Both Brick and Conversationalist grab mirrors
3. Brick takes a mirror to the left Erik Pop statue and Conversationalist to the right one
4. Brick grabs the Emerald Hourglass

Method 3 – Disable the Security Lasers

The final option involves turning the alarm system off entirely. Head down to the security room on the staff floor, where you’ll find a code posted in the central cubicle. Taking photos of both the code and alarm control system may be helpful for reference.

This plan echoes previous heists involving manipulating guards and triggering distractions. You’ll need to lure one guard away to sneak downstairs, then distract another from the security room to input the code and disable alarms.

1. Brick breaks the Erik Fountain to lure a guard
2. Conversationalist taps the loud glass near the security room
3. Conversationalist inputs the alarm deactivation code in the security room
4. Conversationalist talks to Kenny the security guard
5. Brick grabs the Emerald Hourglass