yes sam that is exactly where it originates, there wer hangings for what in the last century or so would have seemed trivial, but if you stole from someone who had very little, like maybe a few sheep, then you were deemed to be threatening to starve that person, and it was very serious. I do think there is a little bit of that ideology with us today, how many times have you heard of someone being jailed for 15 years for theft or defrauding, but 15 months for rape?
nightwatchmen were the poorest supported and underpaid group, they were ill equipt to deal with the bad weather they had to enjure and they were often taken seriously ill with work related problems like pnuemonia. The ************* were working in the 19thC with the police forces and some of them were promoted to police constables.
I have heard of a case where a farmer rigged his barn with a system of tin plates on twine as he was losing produce, this trap managed to ensnare the culprits and they were sent to gaol and one was deported.