The End of the Road for the Barefoot Bandit
Wednesday, 14 Jul 2010 — Contributed by Kuncen
Catch me if you can: Colton Harris-Moore
Many of us reacted with a twinge of sadness to the news of Colton Harris-Moore's arrest in the Bahamas over the weekend. Relatively unknown outside the Pacific Northwest, Harris-Moore nevertheless became a teenage folk hero for his ability to confound the police who tried for years to capture him. It seemed as though he would remain one step ahead of the law forever.
Growing up as a troubled youth on Camano Island in Washington state, Harris-Moore often spent nights in the forest when he wasn't in juvenile detention. He ran away from a halfway house in 2008, and started breaking into empty vacation homes on the island. He ate other people's food, watched their televisions, and soaked in their hot tubs. He became known as "the Barefoot Bandit" because he sometimes committed his crimes with no shoes on. Despite law enforcement's best efforts to catch him, they always seemed to come up empty-handed as Harris-Moore escaped at the last minute. He once left chalk footprints on the floor of a grocery store to taunt police.
Airplane similar to the kind stolen by Harris-Moore
He stole just about every kind of vehicle available, including airplanes, which he flew after simply reading the manuals. This summer he struck out across the northern United States, and on Independence Day he stole a plane and flew it to the Bahamas, which proved his undoing when he was captured on July 11th at the ripe old age of 19.
So now a criminal is behind bars, but most of us feel like we've lost something. Instead of feeling happy that a thief has been locked up, we're sad. Why? What is it about Harris-Moore that makes us wish he could have kept running forever? Is it because we lived vicariously through him, while he did the things we couldn't?
It's hard not to like an outlaw who consistently makes the authorities look like bumbling fools. Leaving $100 at a veterinary clinic only helped his image. But is he a folk hero or a crook? Unsurprisingly his Facebook page has exploded with expressions of support. What is it about Harris-Moore's story that draws us to him?
About the only certain thing in young Colton's future is that his story remains to be told. A book is being written, and 20th Century Fox has bought the film rights. His mother has retained a lawyer, with the likely aim of maximizing the profit which stands to be made. And while everyone around him works furiously to capitalize on his actions, Harris-Moore sits in a jail cell somewhere after being talked out of suicide, pondering his next move.
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I love him! :)
Firstly, I'd like to say, yes he stole, no it wasn't okay. To some a plane might be worthless, to others it may mean everything to them. Does that mean he deserves to get shot in the head and die or face a death punishment? No. He's lived a bad life. "Big deal?" Unless you walked in his shoes and went through both physical and emotional pain he has, yes it is a big deal. Who wants to be locked up in prison? If you do your life must really be worthless. Coltons though, his life isn't which is why he ran away, which is why he stole transportation. There for, him stealing those things did help him survive, it helped him keep his freedom. Humans can turn into monsters when it comes to their own life. So people who look up to him, believe he should be let free, let me speak for you when I say were all sorry that he's human and not a god because he made mistakes at a young age in his life. I personally myself though, wouldn't call them mistakes. I'd call them a way of living life to the best regardless of whether it means taking away a pointless object from someone. "Well what if the object weren't pointless to them?" Well then they should have got insurance or took care of it as of where no one could steal or damage it. Whether you agree with me or not, Colton did things many of us would never think of doing. He's a troubled kid who handles things a different way than some of us, but that doesn't mean he deserves to go to prison at such a young age, he deserves to get help and support, and I protest against him going to prison, not because what he did wasn't wrong, but because he's one bad ass mofo whose hand I'd like to shake while he robs me blind with his other.
Are you serious?! He’s a
Are you serious?! He’s a thief! Everyone has had problems in their life. During my lifetime, I've known at least 7 out of 10 people who have runaway from their homes. Does that mean that they should elude police and steal from hardworking people just because they had a "hard life"? Why are we glorifying someone who breaks the law. Is he above the law because he read a manual and flew a plane, OR because he ran away from home? Do we even know what his circumstances are? OR do we even care? We are saying that it's ok to steal from people, break the laws that are in place to protect people. Why? because he did it without getting caught?!?! By the way, it’s only been a couple of years. I’ve heard of many serial killers and thieves who have eluded the police for a lot longer than that. Should we become fans on their facebook page? Do you realize when he was in Camano Island his little friends helped him out? Do you REALLY think he did all this on his own? We don't appreciate it when an inner city kid steals a car and goes out joy riding, do we? Have you ever had anything stolen from you? Have you ever woke up in the morning walked out of your house to go to work, and you car was gone? You know just because someone owns a car, house, boat or plane doesn't mean that they don't deserve to keep their belongings. Or that they are oppressing the poor who decide to runaway from home. People work hard for their belongings, pay their taxes, raise their kids to respect one another which include their property. "Well then they should have got insurance or took care of it as of where no one could steal or damage it." Are you kidding me right now?! do you know if they had insurance or not? And you realize that everytime you enter a claim your insurance increases?! Don't you? THat is a really trivial way to look at things. JUst because you don't appreciate other persons property doesn't mean that they don't appreciate their own property. I REFUSE to play into the notion that he's a folk hero! Newsflash he’s a 19 year old runaway who steals from people. He needs to grow up! Do you even have kids? If so, would you hold your head up high after hearing that your kid has done this to innocent people? He is disrespectful, full of himself, really not that bright and has no regard for people and their space. It is so funny that people would actually want him to steal from them. (your comment above shake one hand while the other one is stealing..) I don't get the fascination. He's a thief who happens to be white from Camano Island which by the way is a pretty nice town. He and his mom are both going to profit off of other peoples losses. Really?! What about the people he stole from and all of the money they lost due to his antics? Who is talking about the death penalty? (your comment above) I don't think that is going to be his consequence. That's a little over dramatic. Everyone has had a few bumps in the road. It would be silly to think that everyone has had an easy life with zero mistakes. I personally have been through A LOT: poverty, racial discrimination, racial profiling, strip searched when I was only 15 years old, saw people shot right in front of me and quite a few other very personal things. I didn't go steal from people though. Why don’t we glorify kids that go to college, obey the law or help other kids in need?
Where does the fascination come from?
Fair comments. But consider the fact that he never committed a violent crime or hurt anyone. You could argue that he "hurt" the people he stole from, but I think most of the houses he broke into were owned by rich folks... second homes, vacation homes. There was no one living in the houses when he broke into them. He didn't vandalize them or trash the place. Generally speaking he just stole enough to survive. And the fact remains that he never physically hurt anyone. I'm not saying stealing is okay... I'm just pointing out that he wasn't your average thief.
So although logically speaking we shouldn't idolize this guy... why are there so many people doing exactly that? Why are people drawn to him? Why are fully mature, logical, affluent adults saying that he's their hero? This story seems to be so much bigger...
Simple
I think the economy had a lot to do with it. It seems people idolize a clever criminal during times of poor economy...Robin Hood has been a popular legend for centuries, and you can look to the more accurate tales behind Dillinger or Bonnie and Clyde during the depression, or even old west outlaws before that. When an economy goes sour and peoples savings are suddenly not worth as much, people tend to idolize those poor people with the resolve to take what they want from the rich, who are usually blamed for the economic situation in the first place. I'm not condoning or condemning it, but it has a historical precedent.
A very interesting
A very interesting perspective, and one that I hadn't considered. It makes a lot of sense that people would idolize Robin Hood types during times of economic difficulty, but I don't think that's the whole story here. I think it certainly helped Harris-Moore's popularity, but I think he would still be popular even if the economy was strong, although perhaps not as much...
Kuncen
classic
haha lol classic
even though...
He is likely to steal your ring or watch or necklace, with no thought to how it will affect you? What if it was an extremely treasured family heirloom or an expensive present from a loved one? How would you feel? Would you claim the insurance and be happy with just that? Perhaps if the theft was personal, you would have a different point of view.
yes i would be sad but it's
yes i would be sad but it's only a physical object. a truly enlightened person would hopefully realize that physical objects are not the source of happiness and we shoudl probably give them all away anyways. happiness comes from people, not things. plus i don't think this guy was probably stealing heirlooms
Ideals
Ideals are not possible to enforce, Laws are though. Can you send me all your valuable goods in the post, so I can sell them and spend the money on a faster internet connection. The Dali Lama is an enlightened person, and he still has books...
Books? Really?
Sir, books are not what he was thinking about, I'm sure. I think what he means is that the truely enlightened have no need to have valueable gems and objects. Books are something that aid in education, something you seem to lack.
Please don't call me sir, I don't even like the Queen
Wil, you got me on the lack of education, good for you. Mine is a sorry tale. I was found by a wolf as a child, which raised me along with a bear and a black panther. I tired of their company when I started to realise that the black panther was anally retentive and the bear was an opium smoking member of The Mother Lodge.
I was shortly after accosted by a charming old man by Ikey Solomon, who taught me the benefits of taking others property, and that anti-Semitism has existed in the UK a lot longer than we would think.
As I grew up I had the pleasure to spend time with Jack Barnes, Tenente, Eric Arthur Blair and his friends Old Major, Boxer and Benjamin. Unfortunately none of the characters managed to educate me, so I was forced to set out alone, desperate to improve my education, become a man as it were.
Life never works out the way you wish though and I fell in with a motley crowd including Raoul Duke, Dr Gonzo, Rincewind and Captain Carrot. I hope this enlightens you as to the reason I have been swallowed by the plight of non-education.
I think Wil, you missed the point. My tongue was firmly lodged in cheek, and I think the previous poster is aware of this, as he did not reply to my rather inane and pointless comment. I'll give you a clue...its got something to do with how the Dalai Lama was corrected identified as number 14....and his favourite past time. Just for the record Tenzin Gyatso owns watches and has a keen interest in engineering.
You don't have to call me sir, because I am not a fan of the Queen and if she ever found out about what I have said about her family, I think she would be using her sword for other purposes when my neck was presented.
It's been lovely talking to you. I will be sure to highlight the deficiency's you have identified within me, to my students.
Good day Squire.
I knew a bloke with an
I knew a bloke with an education once. His name was Raskolnikoff. Shifty eyes.
the owners of the plane that
the owners of the plane that he stole to get to the bahamas say they're not mad:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012359770_colton15m.html
No one cared for him?
I sure hope they take his age into account! Nineteen is only one year more than eighteen. I always hope for mercy for the young.
Nineteen is
Old enough to be able to see right from wrong, and if you choose an action, you must accept the consequences.
The Rat Boy of Byker.
Corporal punishment. It's the only deterrent. History has proved that young thieves turn into old criminals. The Ratboy of Byker is a perfect example. He spent his childhood stealing, breaking and entering and answered to no-one. The Media turned him into a darling for some. He has spent his entire life in and out of prison. Remove one of his fingers, without pain killers and he is certainly going to think twice about stealing, is he not?
Corporal Punishment.
In a word, no. He is not.
Countries with corporal or capital punishment still have crime.
Derek Bates in Seaham UK has no legs but has built stilts in specifically designed for stealing cars. The reduction of useful bodily extremities seems to provide crims with a challenge.
His neighbours once took matters into there own actions when he burgled my dad's house and dismantled his false legs and his wheelchair maticulously and placed the various pieces of perambulation in various different wheely bins throughout the estate. Still didn't work.
Some peeps just got it in them!
Peace.
irrelevant?
How does that show that corporal punishment doesn't work? There's a difference between having no legs and having them cut off.
irrelevant!???
I was referring to the previous comment by the enlightened Mrs Haw on the cutting off of the finger of "the rat boy" of Byker.
Decka had his rolled off by coal waggons he was playing on at the bottom of my dads street. Was a nice lad till it happened. Became Seahams most prolific burgler and car theif afterwards.
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Driver-with-no-legs-jailed.1903857.jp
carry on...
MrShaw was suggesting cutting
MrShaw was suggesting cutting off a finger as a punishment. You compared it to a fellow whose legs were cut off by accident. They're not the same, thus the connection you were drawing seems a bit tenuous.
Doesn't prove your point my good man.
Unless of course a neighbour had taken the law into their own hands and removed his legs in the first place. I once walked through what I was told was "a stupid place for a four-eyed spelk like you to be" in Seaham, and from some of the unsavoury looks I was getting I could well imagine that would be possible, but perhaps not in this case. If you like when I return we try this method out on some of the "Shellsuit wiv Blackberry like" reprobates congregating outside Greggs? You up for it?
Oh yarse!
Oh and indeed yarse!
The Kids Alright
The kids fine in my book. He ran from an abusive, neglecting family. He took only what he needed to survive and make it a little farther in his journey. And he taught himself how to fly and (Crash)land an airplane. Now, I don't see why some of you people seem to hate him so much. Yeah, he took stuff, yeah he embarressed the police for 2 years, but at the end of the day, he was just a kid, running from a horrible home. In his place, I probably would have done the same thing. And Mr. Shaw. He is a 19 year old boy. How can you possibly suggest corperal punishment? I think you need to look into his life a little more.
what if....
I'm interested to know wat people think about me getting wasted and driving at 100mph down the motorway simultaiously giving cunnilingus to girl in the back seat, taking a break ever now and then to snort a line of coke off the dash board and check the traffic. If everything works out ok it's just a badass story and I'll have everyones total respect for doing something so super-awsome and cool? What if I veer off the road onto a train track right in front of an oncoming train full of commuters on their way home from a hard day at work keeping the economy running, or nursing kittens, or doing life-saving surgery. What if I derail the train killing myself, my bitch and everyone else? I guess it's not that important because 1. I was having a great time, 2. they were rich so it probably doesn't matter and 3. some idiots on the internet still think I'm cool. Hey, why don't we all try to fly planes over populated areas with no training? While we're at it we can steal from rich people too becuase they probably have insurance (if they wern't stupid enough to forget to buy it, in which case they deserve what they get, idiots) and if we think about it like we're all total goons, they're rich, so it's cool. In fact they probably won't even notice anything's missing. Anyway, we all know poeple with money are all wankers without exception.
It's different
Except that the examples you gave involve extreme danger to other people, and breaking into houses doesn't. There's a big difference between snorting coke while driving dangerously or crashing into a train full of people, and breaking into an uninhabited house to eat food and hang out. Although I will give you that flying a plane could be dangerous to others. But that's the exception. Everything else he did wasn't dangerous to other people.
One thing in common..
The law was (would be) broken by people deciding what is right and what is wrong. It can't be allowed, except in the case of governments......oops. Perhaps we should create an anarchistic state, to see if that fares any better than what we currently have.
"thou shalt not steal if there is a direct victim"
Actually I made a few points, but you're right, the one about extreme danger (driving dangerously and crashing into a train) did apply to him stealing a plane and flying it without training. The other point I made was about him stealing. If you look at the law you'l find that a lot of laws cover issues other than putting people in danger/physically hurting people. I know it sounds inconvenient but that's not the sole criterea of the law, and equally inconveniently, the law is there to protect everyone, including people who want to work hard and succeed. If you start making such broad exceptions based on peoples financial means or social background you find yourself moving in a dangerous direction. I really don't see the fascination with this kid, except that the story reads like the plot of a film, which may be why everyone seems to be thinking in terms of movie-morals where somehow traditional morality is suspended and whatever he does is cool as long as he's close enough to the moral line for us to still believe he's somehow the good guy.
I agree that the law is there
I agree that the law is there to protect everyone. I'm not advocating stealing. I don't even think he should escape punishment... he should probably get some sort of jail time. I was just pointing out the difference between stealing and hurting people. All the same, stealing is stealing, and it's illegal for a reason.
I think the reasons for the fascination are:
All those things make a compelling story, especially for a teen.
At least he'll get a movie
At least he'll get a movie deal eh?
Something to tell the grand kids!
The story will make him richer than your typical small eastern european country!
Money! Money! Money!
Seize the skull!
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