Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to watch, to look at.

1918		Kirkintilloch Gaz. 19 June 1/5: If I want Johnny to show me anything I say ‘Shufti’.
1963		C. Wood ‘Prisoner and Escort’ in Cockade (1965) I iii: Here Jupp – shufti this my old.
1968		A. Burgess Enderby Outside in Complete Enderby (2002) 307: Moon’s up, shufti.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 143: Wavin Arno to carry on, tappin under his eye to show hes gonna shufty till the jobs done.

2. to tell, to assure.

1954

J. Phelan Tramp at Anchor 142: Lamping the twirl while I shuftied my china that it was quids to drop a kangar.