Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) to snatch, to rob.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Click c. to Snatch. I have Clickt the Nab from the Cull, c. I have whipt the Hat from the Man’s Head. Click the rum Topping, c. Snatch that Woman’s fine Commode.
1719		A. Smith Lives of Most Notorious Highway-men, etc. (1926) 204: Click, to snatch. I have clicked the nap from the cull, i.e., I whipped the hat from the man’s head.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1822		Life and Trial of James Mackcoull 9: His forte consisted in what it called clicking and twitching*, in entries to courts where places of amusement or private meeting-houses were situated. [note] *Stealing hats from gentlemen’s heads, and shawls from ladies’ shoulders.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum To grab; to snatch; be quick; start.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.