Colton Harris-Moore, the barefoot boy bandit, outfoxes sheriffs

I find it hard to believe that anyone would praise what this kid is doing. "He's truly free, he's a hero, he's against TPTB" ....., what the hell, he's a thief. Destroying other people's property, stealing from them and risking the lives of others around him so he can play pilot, how is that rising up against the machine and being a hero?

As mentioned before, sounds like great parenting as demonstrated when mom said she was proud her son had stolen an airplane. I'd bet his future involves quality time with iron bars if he doesn't get shot the next time he tries to steal something. He may be an intelligent person, in some ways, but he likely has some serious issues that are at the root of his behavior.

Apparently the world really needs a hero

reply to post by DelMar


He is not telling you what to do with your life. Why do you care about what he does ? You don't care if he gets shot or imprisoned, but you want to tell him what to do. This is the same thinking as those people that cared so much about others going to hell - so they tortured them, to make them "good".
He steals ? Not so much as other steal - using a pen. I don't say to not defend yourself against him. Or other thieves. Do not put everyone in the same box. He's not trying to "make it" inside the system. He may be my personal enemy - when he steals from me. But would not tell him what to do with his life.

When someone hires another - is he not stealing his life ? He gives him money ? So what, you can,'t be friends with your boss. No friend of mine can give me orders.
Does not matter that we behave well to one another.



[edit on 7-12-2009 by pai mei]

Originally posted by pai mei
reply to post by DelMar

 

He is not telling you what to do with your life. Why do you care about what he does ?

I care about what impact he is having on others, I happen to think that stealing and vandalism are wrong.

You don't care if he gets shot or imprisoned, but you want to tell him what to do. This is the same thinking as those people that cared so much about others going to hell - so they tortured them, to make them "good".
He steals ? Not so much as other steal - using a pen.

Where did I say I don't care about him getting shot or imprisoned? Possible outcomes for his behavior, yes, but I didn't condone someone shooting him.

When someone hires another - is he not stealing his life ?

I wouldn't agree with that but that's a whole different thread.

I think we are missing something important here.
The lad's adventures cause the hopeless romantic in all of us to wish him to be a modern day Huckleberry Finn, but he's a youngster with adjustment dificulties, undoubtedly worsened by his mum's misplaced pride in his adventures.
He may be an asocial personality or an anti-social personality bordering on becoming a true sociopath.
He is cunning, how intelligent by formal testing would not be a true reflection of his mental capacity.
I fear for his well being, the crashed Mercedes was one indication that though he may have some grasp of motion dynamics, he probably misjudged the traction at speed in a curve which slammed him into a butane storage tank. Butane will flare pretty hot, but it's explosion characteristics as with LP gas are of fairly forgiving of idiots and children with 22 caliber rifles, however, should enough vent to creat a fuel air explosion, those tanks can get up about as high as those light planes he likes so well. Sounds like a small flare that didn't explode but was serious enough to keep a prudent officer from advancing on the tank, and blinding him to the boy's broken field running.
Believe it or not, the keys to most planes are either in the ignition, or in the logbook in the door pocket, or under a seat(same with boats in slips). With some no key is needed, just flip the magnetos to the on position and pull the enrichment knob, and push or flip the starter button and it's running. With a rudimentary understanding of control surfaces, getting airborn is pretty easy, as long as you don't try for vertical climbout, light planes usually have have barely enough engine, climbing is a gradual thing. To stall into the bush isn't the worst parking job he could have done. Little planes can come in incredibly slow, he really didn't land hard, light planes crumble easy. A cunning individual will observe the coming and going of his target, hitting an empty house is a lot easier than slipping in at night, but many cat burglars know the nocturnal bathroom scheduals of the residents, and get wallets, purses, jewlry, and firearms with hardly a squeak. I am far too verbose for the character limit. Back on point, the lad has shown an adjustment problem, he needed mental health care and didn't get it, he may know enough to slip past thermal imaging using a couple of space blankets in his gilley suit and to line his boots, he knows how to use the terrain to his advantage, and is probably in Mum's attic watching MTV and smoking pot. As an earlier poster mentioned, where he is you don't survive without heated shelter. I hope testosterone levels do not cause a law enforcement officer to just pick him off with a deer rifle, but the "violent at large" seed has been planted, so it's coming down to crunch time. His best bet is for his proud mum to get him into treatment, cost take the hindmost, without help he will be jailed, and not recieve the therapy or medication he needs, he will be easy prey for larger toughs who will see him as a girl, perhaps dying during the courtship as the lad will make a deadly weapon out of mouse poop or roach legs. I hope for the best for this lad in need of a father's loving guidance, surely there will be a price to be paid, but a friendly psychiatrist can easily keep the lad out of prison with a tailored testimony, a judge will take the good doctor's estimation of the lad's needs under great consideration, he may wind up on house arrest with visits to his psychiatrist for the duration, debt for restitution will be a challenge, but a civil action against his reluctant insurance carrier might cause this cloud to to be blown away, leaving him with chances for better days. Book and movie deal? Oh yeah, movie of the week, or Ron Jeremy's production team could have him on DVD in three weeks tops. Ron's guys made a VampireZombieWerewolfBikerAlienSatanDemon shootem up that was ubber-camp&ultravamp. Ron could do it for $250, and cigar money. nopron.

I heard they caught him on friday.


no 2nd line needed

Originally posted by NEWclearMind reply to post by Bunken Drum

 

Maybe I need to specify. Once I realized you were from europe, which I deduced by reading the word whilst, then looking to your profile and seeing Location: Europe. I stopped reading and chuckled on the inside. I knew nothing you said about this argument was founded in reality. As the right to bear arms, you know not about. Your arguments to anything involving weapons, crimes, or anything involving said items are null and void. Just like asking a childs advice on financial manners. In the future, please respond to abovetopsecret.uk . I'm sure you'll find a caring ear there.

What a misinformed & foolish post. As I stated, if I wished, I could own firearms, but only a nutter would think that they would help in matters concerning crime.
I have no need for a caring ear; I'm quite happy here, on a site set up by a British man, goading you into demonstrating your ignorance so that we all can deny it. Otherwise known as owning you...

Originally posted by NEWclearMind
By every meaning of the word, a "survivalist" will do what it takes to survive.

By that definition, a gangsta rapper is survivalist, and so is a cop killer.

Originally posted by NEWclearMind
Football players don't need a ball to play football. Now does that make sense? Neither did your comment. By every meaning of the word, a "survivalist" will do what it takes to survive. If it means killing, stealing, or listening to people post on here like you to get their post count up. Whether you agree withhat this kid is doing or not is one
thing. And whether he's doing it for attention or survival is another. But I suggest a dictionary for you. Preferrably the section that starts with S.

Well then, let me rephrase it for your delicate sensibilities.

Survivalists don't need to steal to survive.

Originally posted by liquidsmoke206
I heard they caught him on friday.


no 2nd line needed

one more thing to say tho, looking back through this entire thread & looking at the number of stars for each side of the argument, its about even, and people star things they passionately agree with, so this debate is more or less split half & half with both sides adamantly defending their point of view. First time I've seen that on ATS.

-B.M

reply to post by NoJoker13


I think you should read more son, for if you had you would also notice, that after further research of available information, I post again and agree that there is not enough information about this kid, it still does not change that criminal activities, and where they can lead if left unchecked.

Don't understand what my age would have to do with anything

Criminal or survivalist? I say both, sometimes surviving requires one to be a little "creative" in their quest to stay alive.

Stole an airplane, not once but twice, got where he needed to go and crash landed.
But now the cops are claiming he fired a shot at them, whether he actually did or not really doesnt matter now because they say he did it and thats all they need and now hes screwed more than ever.

He's 18 and it looks like he's losing his hair already. Maybe this kid isn't eating so well out there in the woods.

Originally posted by derpif
Hi,
this is a lovely story if the kid is truely believing in his way of life.
I hope he isn`t doing this because he is in a desperate situation and can`t see a way out.

Oh yes, burglarizing houses and stealing planes is such a wonderful way to live! Everyone on this site likes to complain--and rightly so--about The Man robbing from us, but when a kid does it it's lovely? That's the danger of moral relativism.

I doubt anyone here would be so thrilled if it was their airplane stolen (or household goods).

I thought ATSers were about sticking it to The Man, not the common man.

[edit on 8-12-2009 by spaznational]

Originally posted by Blaine91555
I'd bet he spends plenty of nights at home and is being provided supplies.

That would be my bet as well. I would go on to speculate that this kid will injure somebody if he isn't stopped. Back in the day these kids had an excuse (Tom Sawyer), but nowadays they are probably junkies.

[edit on 12/8/2009 by nightmarehalo]

If you at all knew the PNW and the Puget Sound area, you would know that this is very possible.
This area is wilderness. This kid is not like the city kids.....Thank Goodness......

reply to post by Angelsoftheapocalypse


Be more like him... yay great just what we need a legion of lawless people stealing what they want and crashing into things, who knows how long til he hurts or kills someone.

I think you are confusing your love for the criminal things with love for the carefree... you love that hes a rebel and so discount that hes a criminal because of that!!

Well, I still cant find any news stories saying he has been caught. Have you got a source, LiquidSmoke?

It's all fun and games until someone (maybe even himself) gets killed.

To be honest, there are far more people in this world that are worthy of respect.

Originally posted by Ridhya
reply to post by Angelsoftheapocalypse

 

Be more like him... yay great just what we need a legion of lawless people stealing what they want and crashing into things, who knows how long til he hurts or kills someone.

I think you are confusing your love for the criminal things with love for the carefree... you love that hes a rebel and so discount that hes a criminal because of that!!

Yeah haha think they would call that Somalia; this chap should get him some green tights and a ferry hat and a fat friend named Big Jon. What was his mom doing when he was arrested the first five times before he was 16? He even said at the age of 13 he couldn't stop stealing and didn't know why. I wonder if he stole that Luxury Mercedes shirt.

I think this kid is crazy. The story kept my imagination going as i pictured how i would land a plan i didn't know how to fly lol. At least mom is cheering him on. As for breaking the laws and stuff, wrong is wrong, but he scores some style points by creating a massive explosion to distract the cops.

Cop 1: "Look there he is! Get 'em!"
KAAAAAABOOOOOOM!
Cop 2: "Dang! Dat dare is one hellova plosion!"
Cop 1: "......"
Cop 2: "........ Donuts?"