To nick, in the sense of to steal, derives from the laws governing the Derbyshire lead mines.

The mines were usually vertical shafts, with a winding gear called 'stows'. If a miner found someone else's mine that was not being worked, he could apply to the mining court, the Barmoot, to take it over. A notch or 'nick' would be cut on the stows at weekly intervals. If the original owner had not recommenced working after three weeks, the mine was 'nicked', that is confiscated and passed to the new claimant.