magpie
n.n. a person who is very interested in collecting things, especially things that are rare or valuable. In the military, it often describes someone who likes to gather information or equipment from different places.
n. a person who collects items, particularly those of value or rarity. In a military context, it refers to an individual who systematically gathers intelligence or equipment from various sources.
He is a magpie for old coins and stamps.
The soldier was known as a magpie for his habit of collecting unique weapons from every base he visited.
While some viewed his fascination with historical artifacts as a harmless hobby, others saw him as a magpie, constantly seeking to enrich his private collection at the expense of institutional resources.
From Mag, a nickname for Margaret that was used to denote a chatterer, + archaic pie (“magpie”), from Middle English pie, pye, from Old French pie, from Latin pīca, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peyk- (“woodpecker, magpie”). Displaced native Old English agu (“magpie”) and Middle English aguster (“magpie”), whence English haggister.