The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word RECEIVERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
R
E
C
E
I
V
E
R
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Criminals/They get signals coming in" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case criminals/they get signals coming in = receivers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RECEIVERS mean?
RECEIVERS noun- A person who or thing that receives or is intended to receive something. More formal, usually referring to one who receives such things as an award or medal.