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Shameless shoplifter Kim Farry, 54,
pictured with stolen items including a £500 pair of YSL shoes, says she
has made almost £2million from a 44-year crime spree while enjoying
designer clothes and exotic holidays
A shameless
shoplifter says she has made almost £2million from a 44-year crime
spree while enjoying designer clothes, plastic surgery and exotic
holidays.
But
despite her illegal earnings which have seen her jailed seven times,
Kim Farry,
54, still reportedly lives in a rent-free council house in
south west London, and takes home £556 in benefits every month.
In
an interview, the mother-of-six described shoplifting as her 'job' and
says at her peak she was taking home almost £50,000 a year through
stealing, but she is now going straight for the sake of her youngest
daughter, 14-year-old Paris.
Ms
Farry says she has not stolen anything for two months, but is refusing
to surrender her luxury lifestyle - and adds that as her benefits are
not enough to live on she may be forced to return to a life of crime.
'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,' she told the Sunday People's Vikki White and Gemma Aldridge.
Ms
Farry says she first stole aged just nine, when she saw her single
mother struggle to bring her up, as well as her eight siblings.
After
she went unchallenged as she took a haul of groceries from a
supermarket, she says she began stealing food and toys on a weekly
basis.
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Ms Farry says she has not stolen
anything for two months, but is refusing to surrender her luxury
lifestyle - and says as her benefits are not enough to live on she may
be forced to return to a life of crime
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The mother-of-six described
shoplifting as her 'job' and says at her peak she was taking home almost
£50,000 a year through stealing, but she is now going straight for the
sake of her youngest daughter, 14-year-old Paris
She was arrested aged ten for stealing a badge, but no action was taken against her, the People reports.
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 her self 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 says 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.
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Ms Farry says she was unable to find
work once she had a criminal record, and currently receives £120 every
two weeks in disability living allowance for stress, £20 a week for
child benefit and £58 in child tax credits
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 says 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
says she is now hoping to change her ways for Paris, but does not want
to give up the perks of her lifestyle, which has seen her undergo three
breast augmentations as well as enjoying luxury holidays, designer
outfits, regular beauty treatments and meals out.
Ms
Farry says she was unable to find work once she had a criminal record,
and currently receives £120 every two weeks in disability living
allowance for stress, £20 a week for child benefit and £58 in child tax
credits.
She
says she does want to find legal employment, but adds 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.