British Slang For Stolen – 12 Examples

Written by Gabriel Cruz - Foodie, Animal Lover, Slang & Language Enthusiast

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Getting any of your stuff stolen is a good way to ruin your day. Having thieves come in and take what is yours is something we fear and dread. However, it is still happening all around us. Due to our familiarity and distaste for it, we have created some creative slang terms related to it. Here is a list of British slang for “stolen.” Enjoy reading! 

British Slang For Stolen (in Alphabetical Order)

Blag

Meaning:

  • (Noun) Coming from the French term blague which means to joke, blag generally means to use deception and trickery to obtain something. However, it can be used for a robbery with some violence, especially by criminals. 
  • Example: A blag occurred after the New Year’s Eve party just in front of our building. 

Cabbaged

Meaning:

  • (Adjective) Earliest usage point to Charles Coffey, this UK slang is used to imply or describe something as stolen, pilfered, or acquired through illegal means. 
  • Example: After my brother left for college, I cabbaged his old stuff without even asking.  

Chored

Meaning:

  • (Verb) Colloquial British slang refers to the act of stealing or having stolen something of interest. Originally coming from the Scottish youth, the usage has spread all over the UK. 
  • Example: He got chored after getting distracted with some street performance. 

Fence

Meaning:

  • (Noun) Originating in the 1700s and propagating all over England during the 1800s, fence refers to a person who deals and buys stolen goods, mainly for profit. 
  • Example: Gangsters know which fences to trust. Some might be traitors that will sell you out.  

Half-Inched

Meaning:

  • (Verb) An old Cockney rhyming slang for stealing or something that is stolen. It rhymes with “pinch,” which is another slang for stealing.  
  • Example: Back in the day, I used to half-inched some money from my mother’s purse.

Moody Gear

Meaning:

  • (Noun) Some illegal or stolen property of any kind.
  • Example: You might have gotten that for cheap because it’s moody gear. 

Nicked

Meaning:

  • (Verb) This British slang has two meanings. Firstly, it may be used for someone who was arrested. “Nicked” may also refer to stolen items. 
  • Example: I can tell that your phone is nicked because the stolen alert has been flashing all over your screen. 

Pinched

Meaning:

  • (Verb) “Pinched” or “pinch” may mean to squeeze something in a literal sense. However, in British slang, it may describe the act of robbery, pickpocketing, or even stuff that is stolen from another. It may come from the fact that you are “pinching” some property from others without them knowing. 
  • Example: I got my phone pinched last night. I never should’ve left my bag just lying on the floor.  

Prig

Meaning:

  • (Verb) Primarily of Northern English and Scottish origin, “prig” is a common term for stealing in British regions.
  • Example: Why did my wallet have to be prigged? I just recently withdrew some cash. 

Ringer

Meaning:

  • (Noun) Cockney rhyming slang for a modified or stolen car.
  • Example: You better take me when you are buying a vehicle. You don’t want to get a ringer. 

Tom

Meaning:

  • (Noun) “Tom” is short for tomfoolery. Normally, both are used for jewelry. However, in the British criminal underground, “tom” is used for stolen goods.
  • Example: I had some dude offering me watches and phones at the subway. It was probably toms. 

Twoc

Meaning:

  • (Verb) Popular in Wales, England, and Northern Ireland, this slang is an acronym. It stands for “Taking Without Owner’s Consent” or “Taken Without Owner’s Consent.”
  • Example: Had my auto twoc last night by my sons. They took it out for a joyride. I almost called the police on them. 

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