This article analyzes the construction of the thief as a dangerous subject through the study of various criminal trials. It focuses on the problem of the law and the way it constructed subjects by judging and punishing this crime. The space of the colonial city and the court were key places in this process. The way that the other residents of the city acted, the constant vigilance, the construction of a past, and confession and punishment were also important in the public image and renown of thieves.