Charles Hitchen, also mentioned as Charles Hitchin in other sources, was a "thief-taker" and under-marshal of the City of London in the early 18th century, also, famously tried for homosexual acts and sodomy offences. Alongside his former assistant and then a major rival Jonathan Wild, against whom he later published a pamphlet and contributed to his sentencing to death, Hitchen blackmailed and bribed people and establishments irrespective of their reputation, suspicious or respectable. Despite the disgrace of the people he earned through his abusive exercising of his power, he remained in power and continued fighting against violent crime, especially after the ending of the war of the Spanish Succession and until 1727.
Jonathan Wild pelted by the mob on his way to Tyburn
Image: Poverty in London, 18th century Wellcome L0001078
Image: First Marshalsea prison, London, 18th century
Image: Portrait of four Aldermen of London 1725
In English legal history, a thief-taker was a private individual hired to capture criminals. The widespread establishment of professional police in England did not occur until the 19th century. With the rising crime rate and newspapers to bring this to the attention of the public, thief-takers arose to partially fill the void in bringing criminals to justice. These were private individuals much like bounty hunters. However, thief-takers were usually hired by crime victims, while bounty hunters were paid by bail bondsmen to catch fugitives who skipped their court appearances and hence forfeited their bail. Both types also collected bounties offered by the authorities.
An original gallows ticket for viewing the hanging of one of the most notorious thief-takers Jonathan Wild with his "Thief-Taker General" emblem design on the top was executed for operating on both sides of the law. Thief taking was a common law enforcement occupation beginning in the 17th century and existed until the mid-19th century when it was replaced by professional modern police forces.
A highwayman, from an old print.
The Old Bailey in the Gordon Riots, 1780
£20 reward offered for information in Kidderminster house burglary, 1816.