Crooks craftily side with lover (9)

I believe the answer is:

evildoers

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'crooks' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

'craftily side with lover' is the wordplay.
'craftily' indicates anagramming the letters (I've seen this in other clues).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'side' put after 'lover' is 'loverside'.
'loverside' anagrammed gives 'EVILDOERS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for evildoers that I've seen is " People acting wickedly".)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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