Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) a villain who steals by extracting goods from an open window.

1591		Greene Second Part of Conny-Catching in Grosart (1881–3) X 122: The Courber, which the common people call the Hooker, is he that with a Curbe (as they tearme it) or hooke, do pull out of a windowe any loose linnen cloth, apparell, or else any other houshold stuffe.
1608		Dekker Belman of London G: He that hookes is called the Curber [...] The goodes are called Snappings.
1611		Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girle V i: You your self shall cant Better then poor Moll can, and know more laws Of cheaters, lifters, nips, foysts, puggards, curbers, [...] than it’s fit Should be discovered to a noble wit.
1630		J. Taylor ‘A Brood of Cormorants’ in Works (1869) III 8: Liues like a Gentleman by sleight of hand, / Can play the Foist, the Nip, the Stale, the Stand, / The Snap, the Curb, the Crossbite, Warpe and Lift, / Decoy, prig, Cheat (all for a hanging shift).
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.