For an electrician and mechanic, no matter how light-fingered, there seemed no question of marrying them all off.

NEWYORKER: Nawabdin Electrician

"Two or three days before the incident with which we are concerned, he was worried about burglars and light-fingered pykies, " she said.

BBC: Burgled farmer 'made threats to kill'

Or that the light-fingered are inevitably portrayed as Liverpudlians?

BBC: By BBC News Online's Liz Doig

Getting it serviced was a nightmarish process involving long waits, the use of personal favours, and unpleasant discoveries (light-fingered mechanics would steal scarce items such as the wing mirrors or windscreen wipers).

ECONOMIST: Soviet cars

But such laxity creates opportunities for light-fingered bureaucrats.

ECONOMIST: South Africa