Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a thief, a pickpocket.

1650		Eighth Liberal Science n.p.: He that pockets up Gloves, Knives and Handkerchers, Sutler.
1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) n.p.: Q. Who is Sutler? A. He that pockets up Gloves, Knives and Handkerchiefs.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Sutler, he that Pockets up, Gloves, Knives, Handkerchiefs, Snuff and Tobacco-boxes, and all the lesser Moveables.
1700		‘The Art of Drinking’ in Wit’s Cabinet 137: He that pockets up Gloves, Handkerchiefs, &c. Sutler.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.