Meaning of gas meter bandit | Babel Free

Definitions

A small-time thief.

British, slang

Examples

“We might not have⟳ had that much to pinch, but they'd still have⟳ your brass candlesticks off the mantelpiece. There's always wrong 'uns, in every walk⟳ of life, who'll have⟳ whatever you've got from under your nose. Bloody gas-meter bandits, […]”

“At the lowest end⟳ of the scale are petty criminals, shoplifters, sneak⟳ thieves, joyriders, muggers (or 'street robbers', as they are now called) and gas-meter bandits. Up a step are burglars, car thieves, fraudsters and drug dealers.”

“Fucking gas-meter bandits, thought Billy. Some fucking gang. I'm stuck with a couple of gas-meter bandits. Stan and his nagging missus. His non-existent job that he's never late for.”

CEFR level