Appropriate place for criminals (4)
I believe the answer is:
nick
This clue is a double definition.
'appropriate' is the first definition.
(both can be verbs meaning 'steal' or 'take')
'place for criminals' is the second definition.
(nick can mean a prison)
(Other definitions for nick that I've seen before include "where thieves are" , "Colloquially, a prison or police station" , "Minor injury" , "Steal (informal)" , "Prison - cut" .)