Shoplifter says crimes were a 'necessity' as benefits couldn't fund her lavish lifestyle

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A shameless shoplifter who has spent almost £2million on three breast augmentations, luxury holidays and designer outfits has blamed her criminal habit on the Government - for not providing enough in benefits.

Mother-of-six Kim Farry, 54, who reportedly lives in a rent-free council house in south west London and takes home £556 in benefits every month, has made almost £50,000 a year through stealing.

Appearing on ITV's This Morning, Ms Farry, who currently receives £120 every two weeks in disability living allowance for stress, £20 a week for child benefit and £58 in child tax credits claimed her 44-year shoplifting spree had been a 'necessity'. 

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Shoplifter Kim Farry appeared on ITV's This Morning and blamed the Government for her perpetual shoplifting cycle

Shoplifter Kim Farry appeared on ITV's This Morning and blamed the Government for her perpetual shoplifting cycle

'I don’t know how people can live on benefits. They must have something on the side, it’s impossible. I’m trying to do it and I went without a lot of things. I didn’t eat yesterday.

'I was just stealing to get what I needed at the time,' she said defending her behaviour. 'So if there was a birthday - I would go out and get something.'

When presenters Phillip Schofield and Amanda Holden questioned the necessity of three breast enhancements she laughed and said: 'My boobs were hanging down here after six kids.' But the presenters did not crack a smile.

'I like to live well, I eat nice food,' she said.

The shoplifter, who has been jailed seven times, claimed she is now trying change her ways for the sake of 14-year-old daughter Paris. 'I don’t want my youngest to model herself on me,' she said.

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But she was flummoxed when presented with the hypothetical situation of having a broken TV and said she didn't know if she could refrain from stealing to fund a new one.

Ms Farry, who last stole Christmas presents for her children 12 weeks ago, said her habit started at the age of nine when she saw her single mother struggle to bring her up, as well as her eight siblings: 'We didn’t have anything – my mum had a hard time, dad left her and one morning she had one egg between nine kids, she had no money and was crying so I took it upon myself to go and get some food. 

'And that’s how it started. I got so involved I didn’t know anything else.

'I didn’t want to go without so I just carried on doing it. It became a habit,' she said. 

At her peak the mother-of-six said she was taking home almost £50,000 a year through stealing, but is now trying to go straight for the sake of her youngest daughter, 14-year-old Paris

At her peak the mother-of-six said she was taking home almost £50,000 a year through stealing, but is now trying to go straight for the sake of her youngest daughter, 14-year-old Paris

'I went to prison and when I came out I got a job. Then I got sacked because they found out I’d been in prison. 

'So then I’d go back out again. I had to have money and that’s the only thing I could do. 

'Sometimes I would steal stuff and then get other people to exchange things and get the vouchers.Then I'd sell the vouchers. That’s how you’d get your money.'

But pitching herself as modern-day Robin Hood, Ms Farry insisted: 'I've got good morals – I know it prob sounds a bit stupid me saying that but I’m not a nasty person. 

'I've helped people out a bit. There are a lot of people who are hard up out there and I've helped people out with it as well – so that’s my bit of charity.

'A lot of people who know me have a lot of respect for me – even though I know it’s wrong.' 

But Ms Farry added: 'I do want to try and turn it round now and show people its never too late to change.

Ms Farry says she has made almost £2million from a 44-year crime spree while enjoying designer clothes, exotic holidays and expensive beauty products (pictured above)

Ms Farry says she has made almost £2million from a 44-year crime spree while enjoying designer clothes, exotic holidays and expensive beauty products (pictured above)

'I would do anything along as it’s a job. I don’t get a buzz stealing – but when I do buy with money I get a rush from that.

'I don’t want to be on benefits – if someone would give me a job.'

In a clip showing Ms Farry in her front room, the obsessive shoplifter bragged: ‘Everything in this room I have shoplifted the money to pay for the stuff – sofas, TVs and light. 

'Well I bought one and stole one,' she qualified pointing to her light fittings.

In an interview with the Sunday People this week, the mother-of-six described shoplifting as her 'job'. 

In contrast to her claims on This Morning, she told journalists Vikki White and Gemma Aldridge: 'I will try but I'm going from ­riches to rags. Why would I give up living like an A-lister for this? 

'This is the longest I've been without shoplifting since I was a child and it's unbelievably hard.'

Ms Farry said she first stole aged just nine. After she went unchallenged as she took a haul of groceries from a supermarket, she said she began stealing food and toys on a weekly basis.

She was arrested aged ten for stealing a badge, but no action was taken against her, the People reported.

Kim Farry leaving the This Morning studios after chatting about her prolific shoplifting 

Kim Farry leaving the This Morning studios after chatting about her prolific shoplifting 

At 14 she was expelled from school and despite two youth detention sentences she decided at 16 to make shoplifting her full-time job - disguising herself with wigs or make-up to avoid being caught.

'I used to nick a load of stuff then go and have a cuppa with the security guards, that's how good I was. When I had been doing it for a few years I realised it was more about attitude than anything else. I could steal anything,' she said. 

On one occasion she said she even managed to steal a cooker with the help of an accomplice and a van, but reportedly made much of her money by stealing from designer clothing shops and having other women return the items for vouchers or credit notes.

She then sold these on for half the price, but would also make money by shoplifting to order.

After she married in her 20s and started a family of her own, Ms Farry even trained up her three eldest children to help her once they turned 12, she told the newspaper.

She says she was stealing items worth as much as £7,000 a month, taking home nearly £50,000 a year after paying her accomplices. 

But although Ms Farry said she turned to crime to support her family, it also caused the break-down of her marriage and when she was sentenced to one of her jail terms her three eldest children were sent to live with her father. 

According to the People, Ms Farry has more than 50 shoplifting charges to her name, but she said this accounts for only around one per cent of her exploits. 

She was last jailed when Paris was six weeks old, but told the newspaper that on the day she was released from the six-week sentence she went on a stealing spree.

She said she is now hoping to change her ways for Paris, but does not want to give up the perks of her lifestyle. 

She said she does want to find legal employment, but added that if she is unable to get a job she may resort to stealing - and says the Government should give out more in handouts to prevent others from turning to crime.   

She said: 'There's no way I can maintain my lifestyle or anything close to it. The Government is living in denial if it thinks people are going to live on benefits and not do everything they can to top it up, illegal or not.'

MailOnline has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment. 

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