Collocation
catch a thief
Definition
to capture or stop a person who is stealing, often by the police or by someone who discovers the theft
'catch a thief' is a common English collocation. to capture or stop a person who is stealing, often by the police or by someone who discovers the theft
catch + a thief
“The police managed to catch a thief who had been stealing bikes near the station.”
Examples
- The police finally ____ a thief after a long chase.
- If we call security now, they might ____ the thief before he leaves.
- A shop assistant helped ____ a thief who tried to run out with a jacket.
Show more examples
- They set up cameras to ____ the thief in the act.
- The officer said it was difficult to ____ the thief without a clear description.
- We recognized him from the video and later ____ the thief near the market.
- The neighborhood watch hopes to ____ a thief who has been breaking into cars.
- Thanks to the alarm, the guards were able to ____ the thief before any damage was done.
- After months of investigation, detectives ____ the thief responsible for the museum theft.
More verb + noun phrases
- make an effort to try hard to do something, especially when it requires extra energy or commitment
- make a choice to decide between options
- make a phone call to call someone using a telephone
- make an appointment to arrange a specific time to meet someone, especially a professional such as a doctor or dentist
- make a complaint to formally say that you are unhappy with a service, product, or situation and want it dealt with