From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpetty criminal/thief etcpetty criminal/thief etca criminal whose crimes are not very serious → petty
Examples from the Corpus
petty criminal/thief etc• Amongst them were pickpockets, alcoholics, pimps, drug peddlers and other petty criminals.• Over the years several have been the victim of petty criminals.• The Home Secretary was not about to be seen as going soft on the petty criminal.• Habitual petty thieves and drug addicts dumped on top of their already bulging caseload become their newest clients.• Before they met me, Steve and Paul were just petty criminals, didn't know nothing about nothing.• Most burglaries are the work of petty thieves on the look our for an easy opportunity. 