Today I had a strange experience with the hired thugs. My stormcloak soldier (who has never committed a crime in her life, unless you count slaughtering dastardly Thalmor and Imperials) was looking for the proprietor of Mixwater Mill, and entered the unlocked workers' cabin. No one was there, but the place was a mess! She exited without touching anything. Immediately, two hired thugs walked up and began to pummel her. She defeated them easily, but there was no note! She's still wondering what that was all about. A case of mistaken identity perhaps?

I was exiting Riften on my way to do a quest, and a group of hired thugs attacked me. The guards at the gate ran away and cried for help.