Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) theft accomplished by ‘fishing’ for objects through open windows, using some form of hooked pole.

1591		Greene Notable Discovery of Coosnage in Grosart (1881–3) X 51: The curbing law, which is the filchers and theeues that come into houses or shops, & lift away anything: or picklocks or hookers at windowes.
1608		Dekker Belman of London G: The Black Art and the Curbing Law, are grounded both vpon the selfe same positions: for the Black Art teaches how to breake open a lock, the Curbing Law how to hooke goods out of a windowe.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: curbing law to hook goods out of windows, (cant) the curber is the thief, the curb the hook.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 21: Curbing Law, stealing from show windows.