ˈthief-ˌtaker
One who detects and captures a thief; spec. one of a company who undertook the detection and arrest of thieves.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) I. 87 The theif takar suld haif the forder spald. 1700 T. Brown Amusem. Ser. & Com. viii. (1709) 84 Serv'd the State in the Quality of Marshal's Men, and Thief-Takers. 1718 C. Hitchin (title) A True Discovery of the Conduct of Receivers and Thief-takers in and about the City of London. 1761 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 76/2 Two thief-takers, in hopes of entrapping the highwayman.., set out..like travellers. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge lxi, A body of thief-takers had been keeping watch in the house all night. |
So thief-taking (in quot. attrib.).
| 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. (1815) 188 He had been for some time in the snares of the thief-taking society. |