Robbed patrol leader, but editor was on top (9)

I believe the answer is:

plundered

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

'robbed' is the definition.

'patrol leader but editor was on top' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'leader' could be 'red' (red is a kind of leader) and 'red' is found within the answer.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for plundered that I've seen is " Ransacked".)

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

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