Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) to arrest.

1815		(con. 18C) W. Scott Guy Mannering (1999) 179: We clinked the darbies on him, took him as quiet as a lamb.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open 103: Clink, to nab, to snatch.
1879		H. Hartigan Stray Leaves (2nd ser.) 307: ‘I took it and was going to the forge when they clinked me’.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1918		Aussie (France) VIII Oct. 14/2: Again, the last time I was over in Blighty I got clinked for emphasising an argument with a Jack. In the boob next morning they were sorting out the sore and sorry when in came a parson pot with a couple of Emma-Pips.