What is a common tactic used by professional thieves to outwit their captors?

The correct choice is employing mental strategy, which reflects the sophisticated approach that professional thieves often take to evade capture or manipulate situations in their favor. Thieves who are experienced know that brute force or direct confrontations can lead to immediate consequences, such as arrest or injury. Instead, they rely on psychological tactics, deception, and cunning behavior to navigate potential threats.

For instance, they may engage in social engineering or mislead law enforcement by providing false information or creating diversions, enabling them to escape or continue their criminal activities without detection. This method often involves understanding human psychology and exploiting it to trick others into underestimating them or misreading the situation, demonstrating a high level of strategic thinking.

In contrast, the other options present less effective and more immediate confrontational methods that are less common among professional thieves, who typically value stealth and strategy over aggressive confrontation.