A thief known as Britain's 'shoplifting queen' because she made £2million in 45 years is now purely living on benefits and refuses to get a job unless it pays more than £36,000-a-year.
Single mother-of-six Kim Farry lives rent free in a flat in Fulham and collects up to £250-per-week in cash handouts so believes that finding a normal job would force her to take a pay cut.
The 54-year-old has calculated she needs £4,000-a-month to survive off benefits and claims employers refuse to give her work because she is ‘too common’.
In a new Channel 5 documentary she describes shoplifting as her 'successful business' - although she has had five spells in jail and 30 convictions - and took home £50,000-a-year through stealing.
It has paid for numerous tattoos, plastic surgery and her home is filled with designer clothes and shoes a celebrity would covet.
But explaining why she is out of work now she said: 'I've applied for a few jobs but never get anything back - they want loads of qualifications and I ain't got anything. I can't even talk properly. I'm too common.
'I would work in a gym. There was one here at £18,000-a-year but that's not enough money. I need more money than that - I need double that.
'I just want to do a job and I need it to pay well because of the money I am used to. I don't want to work like I'm on benefits. That's the problem.
'My rent is £165-a-week and then with your food and bills you need to earn £1,000 a week I think, because you can then say I can now have a few luxuries. My dream job would be with Gok (Wan) in fashion.
'A lot of people blag their way in don't they. I can't do that but I would if it was shoplfting. It's not something I can brag about and say: "I have been a shoplifter for 45 years and I'm really good at it can you give me a job?".'
She also admits that her two-bedroom flat in Fulham - one of West London's most exclusive areas - is a step 'down for me' adding: 'It is not that bad but by other homes were much better'.
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| Routine: Kim uses her benefits to have her nails done once a fortnight and her hair and roots sorted every three weeks - as well as expensive extensions |
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| Routine: Kim uses her benefits to have her nails done once a fortnight and her hair and roots sorted every three weeks - as well as expensive extensions |
Kim has gone straight so she can be around for her daughter and still makes her lower income stretch to designer clothes, plastic surgery and an expensive monthly beauty regime.
Her benefits also allow her to buy food from Waitrose so she has decided to rule out any job unless it pays at least £36,000 a year.
Despite her lack of work she is refusing to surrender her luxury lifestyle and the beauty regime that 'makes me feel like a real woman'.
She said: 'Every two weeks I get my nails done, (and a) pedicure, I get my eyebrows done every three weeks.
'I buy courses of sunbeds so you're getting them done all year round. You end up having one a week to keep the tan going. I get my hair done and coloured about every three weeks.
'I have had botox, boob jobs, fillers, I've had by lips done. If I could have it all done then I would - why not? People say you have to grow old gracefully - what a load of c**p'.
In her shady past Kim, 54, would run gangs of shoplifters working 9am to 5pm on high streets stealing goods and then taking them back for vouchers she would then sell for a profit.
It made her around £2milllion in her long career, which started as a nine-year-old child, but also led to several long spells spells in jail.
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| Family: Kim is shown here with her daughter Paris, 14, who admits her mother's lack of crime means she now misses out on a 'lot of stuff' but she is also glad Kim is not in prison |
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, glasses or dying her hair to avoid being caught.
On one occasion she says she even managed to steal a cooker with the help of an accomplice and a van.
But she made most 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.
She said: 'I've been doing this for 45 years. I don't know any other trade. It's my living. I had it set up as a proper business where I paid people to exchange things and get the vouchers.
'I was a businesswoman, just the wrong way. What I was doing didn't hurt anyone'.
Ms Farry has given up crime to make sure she can support her daughter Paris, who is 14, but also admits it means she can't spoil her with expensive gifts anymore.
The teenager herself admits her mother's shoplifting had perks.
She said: 'I'm proud of you that you're not doing that but of course I miss out on quite a lot of stuff, It annoys me but I'm proud of you.
'Every day I came home to a new outfit. I felt spoiled but It is much better that you are here but not in prison'.