Jonathan Wild the Thief taker general arresting a thief, 18th Century crime - stock illustration

Vintage illustration of a scene from the Newgate calendar. Jonathan Wild the Thief taker general arresting a thief, 18th Century crime. Jonathan Wild (1682 or 1683 – 24 May 1725), was a London underworld figure notable for operating on both sides of the law, posing as a public-spirited crimefighter entitled the Thief-Taker General. Wild simultaneously ran a significant criminal empire