Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a thief who specializes in stealing goods from the back of vans and carts; thus fem. peteress.

1781		G. Parker View of Society II 132: These fellows (the Peterers) infested the out-skirts of the Metropolis some years ago, and about Darkey, or when Oliver don’t widdle, watched country carriages, and cut off whatever was tied to them.
a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795) n.p.: peterees persons who make it their business to steal trunks and boxes from coaches, chaises, and other carriages.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant n.p.: Peterees [sic], persons who make it their business to steal boxes from the back of coaches, chaises, and other carriages.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. 25: Peteresses – persons who make it their business to steal boxes from the back of coaches, chaises, and other carriages.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open [as cit. 1835].
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 74: peterer, or peterman one who follows hackney and stage coaches, and cuts off the portmanteaus and trunks from behind. Nearly obsolete.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.