WRECKER

n. 1 a person or thing that wrecks or destroys. 2 esp. hist. a person on the shore who tries to bring about a shipwreck in order to plunder or profit by the wreckage. 3 esp. US a person employed in demolition, or in recovering a wrecked ship or its contents. 4 US a person who breaks up damaged vehicles for spares and scrap. 5 US a vehicle or train used in recovering a damaged one.