В-265

HE ПОЙМАН - HE BOP (saying) a person should not be considered guilty of a wrongdoing if he is not caught at the scene of the crime (said when there is no irrefutable evidence of s.o. 's guilt sometimes said with regret when s.o. 's obvious guilt cannot be proven): = innocent until proven guilty a thief isn't a thief unless you catch him in the act

a thief isn't a thief till he's caught (in the act). "А откуда вам известно про его штуки?» - «Говорили в институте...» - «Чего ж вы ему тогда холку не намылили?» — «Не пойман - не вор» (Семенов 1). "How do you come to know so much about his tricks?" "They were talked about at the Institute...." "Why didn't you settle his hash at that time?" "You're not a thief till you're caught" (1a).