What does the cryptic crossword clue "Silent in action apprehending nasty car thief (9)" mean?

The definition is "thief". The wordplay uses an anagram. anagram of SILENT + CAR = LARCENIST; definition: "thief" The answer is LARCENIST.

Silent in action apprehending nasty car thief (9)

Independent Cryptic #11942 | 10 Across | 2025-01-17 flower