Why is my chance of theft discovery high even if a guard is nowhere near? [duplicate]
I've noticed the sneak mechanic in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a fickle mistress. From what I can tell, if anyone saw you in the vicinity at any point, even when you sneak they'll still be aware of your presence.
Even though I'm not in anyone's direct line of sight, they're still alert to my presence when sneaking. To remedy this, you can simply wait in that same spot for a short period of time. Their awareness will gradually decrease over time, resulting in:
As that meter decreases, your chance of being caught while stealing will also decrease!