Well, if you were caught stealing information, they would likely put you in the stocks for a time until everyone passing by gets a good look at you, but usually it would involve an interrogations and branding or marking you as a spy or thief if they saw fit, perhaps adding something akin to a
Dragoneye Rune.
Not sure how far they would go to punish a first time offender, they might put a curse on you that hinders you whenever you're in or near town.