WILD, JONATHAN (c. 1682-1725), English criminal, was born about 1682 at Wolverhampton, where his father was a wig-maker. After a term of imprisonment he set up as a receiver of stolen goods. Wild built up an immense business, posing as a recoverer of stolen goods, the thieves receiving a commission on the price paid for recovery. A special act of parliament was passed by which receivers of stolen property were made acces sories to the theft, but Wilct's professed "lost property office" had little difficulty in evading the new law, and became so pros perous that two branch offices were opened. Wild went on to arrange robberies himself, and he devised and controlled a huge organization, which plundered London and its approaches whole sale. Such thieves as refused to work with him received short shrift. The notorious Jack Sheppard, wearied of Wild's exactions, at last refused to deal with him, whereupon Wild secured his arrest, and himself arrested Sheppard's confederate, "Blueskin."
In return for Wild's services in tracking down such thieves as he did not himself control, the authorities for some time toler ated the offences of his numerous agents. If an arrest were made, Wild had a plentiful supply of false evidence at hand to establish his agents' alibi, and he obtained the conviction, by similar means, of such thieves as refused to recognize his author ity. Such stolen property as could not be returned to the owners with profit was taken abroad in a sloop purchased for this work. At last he was arrested, tried at the Old Bailey, and after being acquitted on a charge of stealing lace, found guilty of taking a reward for restoring it to the owner without informing the police.
He was hanged at Tyburn on May 24, 1725.