9153. 'If the thief is not caught' means, if there is no recollection of what has been taken away. This is clear from the meaning of 'if the thief is caught' as, if there is a recollection of what has been taken away, dealt with just above in 9151, at this point no recollection of it since it says 'if he is not caught'.

9151. 'If the thief is caught' means recollection. This is clear from the meaning of 'being caught', when said of truths and factual knowledge taken away out of the memory, as recollection; and from the meaning of 'the thief' as that which has been taken away, for 'thief' has the same meaning as 'theft', 9125, 9126.