Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) a thief specializing in theft from quiet or semi-dark places.

1851		‘Adventures of Mr and Mrs Sandboys’ in Bells New Wkly Messenger 9 Mar. 6/2: I may mention not only the snooozers or railway sleepers, as we call them, and the dead-lurkers, or those who steal coats, etc. out of passages, but also those who go snow-gathering, or stealing clean linen off the hedges.
1861		H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor IV 25: ‘Dead Lurkers,’ or those who steal coats and umbrellas from passages at dusk, or on Sunday afternoons.