The thief was caught. vs The thief has been caught

Both phrases are correct, but they differ in terms of tense. "The thief was caught" is in the past simple tense, indicating that the catching of the thief happened at a specific point in the past. On the other hand, "the thief has been caught" is in the present perfect tense, suggesting a connection between the past event of catching the thief and the present moment.

Last updated: April 03, 2024 • 687 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"The thief was caught."

This phrase is in the past simple tense, indicating that the catching of the thief occurred at a specific point in the past.

Examples:

The thief was caught red-handed by the police.
Last night, the thief was caught trying to break into the house.
After a long chase, the thief was caught by the security guards.
In the end, the thief was caught and arrested.
The thief was caught on camera stealing from the store.

Show examples from the web [+]

Not unless the real thief was caught.
But the thief was caught and burned as the church robber.
The thief was eventually caught and the relic recovered in the town of Calcata, where it remained until the 20th century.
He must have caught the thief trying to swap the sword.
Caught the thief with his cheeks filled.
Keep the girl who caught the thief.
I think that someday that the thief will be caught... and he'll make a bargain with the Gestapo.
He must have caught the thief trying to swap the sword.
Dungeon Roam You are a common thief who was caught and sent to prison, and wander around the dungeon in hopes of finding a way out.
If the thief is caught stealing again, he should either have his other hand, foot, or eye removed, or he should be killed.
I'm the thief you caught, and you won't get rid of me now
The upshot is we caught the thief, retrieved your wallet, and then hopped on the next plane to Bagghar.
I told you I'm the one who caught the thief.
The first thief they caught was Charlie Stroller.
You're a thief, caught in the act.
A talented thief gets caught for a wallet?
The nurses and the doctor told us that, given the signs, he must have been a thief caught "in flagrante delicto" and that he was barely alive.
It's what every car thief said when caught.
1 1 (If a thief is caught in the act of housebreaking and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt involved.
6 When a man gives money or an article to another for safekeeping and it is stolen from the latter's house, the thief, if caught, must make twofold restitution. 7

Alternatives:

The thief got caught.
The thief was apprehended.
The thief was arrested.
The thief was taken into custody.
The thief was nabbed.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"The thief has been caught"

This phrase is in the present perfect tense, indicating a connection between the past event of catching the thief and the present moment.

Examples:

The thief has been caught by the authorities.
I heard that the thief has been caught and is in custody.
By now, the thief has been caught and is facing charges.
The news just came in that the thief has been caught.
The thief has been caught after a long investigation.

Show examples from the web [+]

The thief has been caught
The thief has been revealed 2 days after... in the morning When the mother saw that white dress hanging over the stairs
The police investigated the money, took fingerprints, and the thief has been uncovered.
The thief's body has been hanging too long on the gallows.
We'll be in bigger trouble if the thief has it.
So, the thief has a wife.
The thief has to come out of hiding to stop us or watch his money vanish.
It's been used to erase 24 hours, and now the thief has to undo that act.
The thief has to come out of hiding to stop us or watch his money vanish.
The only problem with this is that if the thief has no clue about this feature, your head unit would be stolen anyway.
Our search for the real thief has stalled.
You're the thief's wife.
But the thief took your briefcase.
Help the swindler, the great drop'n'roller, to steal the box full of golden coins. To reach it the thief has to climb on his rope and navigate through the obstacles in this rotating action puzzler.
Especially the thief has a nagging feeling of "Am I going to be caught?"
You're the thief - a banana thief.
Thief has gone through the most intensive, two-year FDA process of approval.
A thief has the right to be judged for his own redemption.
They say even a thief has his reasons.
Every repented thief has his place in Paradise.
A thief has stolen my flesh.

Alternatives:

The thief has been apprehended.
The thief has been arrested.
The thief has been taken into custody.
The thief has been nabbed.
The thief has been captured.

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The thief was caught. vs The thief has been caught