This Morning sparked a wave of outrage among viewers after featuring an interview with Farrah McNutt, a former shoplifter turned crime prevention advocate. 

The segment, which aired on Monday, saw McNutt discussing her past of stealing 

and how she has since transformed her life by founding an organization, Catch A Thief, aimed at helping retailers combat theft.

Farrah, who is now an advocate for reducing retail crime, opened up about her difficult childhood and how she turned to shoplifting during her school years. 

Growing up in a large family with seven siblings and limited financial resources, Farrah described how she was often bullied at school for not having the latest clothes or trends. 

“I was 13 years old. I was getting bullied at school, my school trousers had holes in them, I always had something else there that needed fixing, my mum didn’t have money,” 

Farrah explained. Her response to these pressures was to steal from shops, starting with a simple act of taking new school trousers to replace her worn ones.

The interview also revealed that Farrah’s shoplifting escalated as she sought more items to fit in with her peers. She recalled taking shoes, makeup, and other items she desired without asking her parents for them. “Then it started peaking a bit more from there, shoes, make-up, trends at school, anything I wanted I didn’t ask my parents anymore, I just took it from the shop,” she admitted.

Despite her troubled past, Farrah explained that the birth of her son was a turning point in her life. Determined to set a better example for her child, she decided to break free from her criminal past. She went back to school, completed her GCSEs, and ultimately sought a career path that would allow her to help prevent crimes like the one she had committed. “When I got pregnant with my son, I didn’t want him to live that life,” Farrah reflected. “I wanted to set a good example to him and all my younger brothers and sisters, who looked up to me.”

Farrah’s organization, Catch A Thief, was founded in 2014 as a way to help businesses and communities reduce retail crime. The company offers services to retailers, including secure incident storage, public appeals, and CCTV security. Farrah expressed how the organization grew out of her desire to better understand why so many thefts went unreported. “I found out 3.3 million thefts went unreported – and I wanted to know why,” she said.

While Farrah’s story of redemption and change was intended to serve as an inspirational tale of personal transformation, many viewers of This Morning were less than impressed. Social media erupted with criticism, with some accusing the show of giving a platform to a former thief. One viewer tweeted, “Ok so let’s start off with the sympathy story then the fact she shoplifted a bouncy castle is completely ok! #ThisMorning.” Another viewer questioned, “Why are they wasting time interviewing a thief?! #ThisMorning.”

Despite the backlash, others defended the segment, acknowledging that Farrah’s story was about redemption and change. They pointed out that her work with Catch A Thief had a positive impact on businesses and communities. Farrah herself shared the news of her appearance on This Morning on social media, explaining that she was going to discuss retail crime and how she created a platform to help reduce it. “I will be appearing live on ITV’s This Morning tomorrow where I will be talking about retail crime and what led me to change my timeline and create a useful platform for retailers and communities to help them reduce crime in their businesses and the places we live,” she wrote.

Catch A Thief has gained national attention over the years, appearing on television networks like Channel 5, Sky, ITV News, and BBC Radio 1. Farrah’s transition from a troubled youth to a successful entrepreneur has helped spark a conversation about the root causes of crime and how individuals can turn their lives around.

For some viewers, however, the segment was difficult to digest, with many still questioning whether giving airtime to someone with a past involving theft was appropriate. As This Morning continues to receive both praise and criticism for the interview, Farrah’s journey of change remains a powerful reminder of the potential for personal growth and redemption.

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