Word for a police man getting money from someone forcefully

Question

My wife bought a puppet from a roadside salesman. She noticed a policeman taking away the money from the salesman forcefully.

Is there an appropriate word for the policeman's behaviour? Bribe is not the word because the salesman was not trying to bribe here. Words like rob, steal, loot come to my mind. But I want to know if there is a better fit.

Update: The way the incident was perceived by my wife (and the original intention in my question) is that the policeman did this for his personal gain and was not doing it as a part of his duty.

Answer 1

The appropriate word to use in this context (abuse of authority) is extortion.

Strictly applied confiscate refers specifically to appropriation for the public treasury (fisc).

Answer 2

Previously-suggested extortion (“The practice of extorting money or other property by the use of force or threats”) is quite appropriate; also consider verb shake down (“To get money from someone using threats”).

Edit: As noted in a comment, as a noun shakedown means “an act or instance of shaking someone down; especially : extortion”. Some other terms related to a policeman forcibly taking money from a salesman might include:
• graft, “Illicit profit by corrupt means, especially in public life”, “A cut of the take”, “A bribe, especially on an ongoing basis”
• squeeze (mentioned earlier by Daniël), “To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass”
• put the arm on, “Fig. to apply pressure to someone. [eg] John has been putting the arm on Bill to get him to cooperate.”
• muscling in, “[using] power or influence, esp. when based on force or threats of force”
• on the take, “trying to profit in a personal and usually financial way from a situation”, which might apply if the policeman knows of infractions but is turning a blind eye for a split of the stand's profits.

Note, cambridge.org has thesaurus pages for specific topics, including Cheating & tricking which may be relevant.

Answer 3

Colloquially it is also referred to as a shakedown or squeeze.

In a clear case of corruption or a racketing it can also be called a pay off or protection money.

Answer 4

confiscate : To use one's authority to lay claim to and separate a possession from its holder.

Answer 5

It depends on where the event took place.

In some jurisdictions, the policeman may well have been acting within the law of the land if the salesman had no licence, and the term confiscation would be correct (Collins being superior to the 'stricter' AHD here, of course).

Robbery is the alternative, for the taking of money / possessions illegally by force.

Answer 6

At first read, I thought "appropriate" would be appropriate:

The policeman appropriated the salesman's money.

ap·pro·pri·ate
/əˈprōprē-it/
Adjective
Suitable or proper in the circumstances.
Verb
Take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.
Synonyms
adjective. proper - suitable - fit - fitting - apposite - convenient
verb. assign - allocate

Source

Answer 7

Extortion under color of law / color of official right

2404 Hobbs Act — Under Color of Official Right

While the definition of extortion under the Hobbs Act with regard to force, violence or fear requires the obtaining of property from another with his consent induced by these means, the under color of official right provision does not require that the public official take steps to induce the extortionate payment: It can be said that "the coercive element is provided by the public office itself."

Answer 8

Depending on the circumstances, seize would be my first thought. Usually it is part of a search and seizure.

Another alternative would be impound, but that generally refers to vehicles. The definition is broader than common usage, though.

Answer 9

If the policeman did not simply grab the money but rather force the salesman to hand it over:

blackmail: to extort money from (a person) by the use of threats.