Pay for accommodation for thief (7)
I believe the answer is:
footpad
'thief' is the definition.
(I know that footpad is a type of robber)
'pay for accommodation' is the wordplay.
'pay for' becomes 'foot' (as in to foot the bill).
'accommodation' becomes 'pad' (pad can mean someone's home).
'foot'+'pad'='FOOTPAD'
'for' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for footpad that I've seen before include "Sole protector" , "Highwayman without a horse" , "Old-style robber" , "Horseless highwayman" , "Old robber" .)