WOW! Thanks for the feedback!
"Multiple thieves would spawn, but only one thief indicator showed up. This was my biggest hang-up, since I did not figure this out until playing for 2-3 minutes"
I have seen many people complaining about this, we should definitely iterate more on the indicator.
"Make the world appear more like the child's playmat. The only reason I made this connection right away was the description of the game. Make things look more plastic or felt to emphasize the use of the playmat (like in Kirby's Epic Yarn)."
There is a carpet texture on all models but you're right, we could improve the look of the playmat.
"Music did not fit the feel of cops and robbers. Although good, I did not feel pressured by the music like I would want. Make it more exciting!
That wasn't our goal, we wanted to create a mood of a child playing and being himself.