Maine 'hermit' sentenced to re-enter society with counseling

tovenar
It's not like this guy is some sort of hero. He isn't a saint for survivalists or something.

There's a more in-depth article about him in a prepper mag; I believe it's called "Always Ready" or some such.


He didn't just steal "some food." He also stole propane tanks, sleeping bags, clothing, and EVERYTHING he ate. He also stole flashlights, and a radio so he could listen to Hannity and Limbaugh(!) He also stole batteries regularly. So if you lived there, and found yourself in an actual emergency, then your radio and flashlights, your propane, and your food cache may have been swiped by this dude....

We wasn't unplugged from civilization, not by a long shot. He depended on the groceries to be stocked with Dinty Moore and Chef Boyardee. He depended on the Maine economy to be good enough that well-to-do families could stock the pantries of their "summer homes" and "lake cabins" from which he stole for 27 years.

The article said he was living only a couple of hundred yards from some houses the paved road; that he never once lit a wood fire for fear of the smoke giving away his position. He also "hunkered down" all winter, because he would have been visible when the brush lost its leaves.

he often slept with no heat, just under piles and piles of stolen sleeping bags.

I got the impression from the article's quotes supplied by the lead investigator who finally found him, that he was almost certainly lying about parts of his story. She implied that he probably had gone to town on regular trips; that he 'knew all about what was going on in mainstream society, as if he knew what a candy bar cost, etc.


This guy was not a hermit. He didn't turn his back on society; he was a parasite who depended on other people's bounty to keep himself alive without his having to work for it.

Basically, he was like a government, an invisible tax on the locals, living off the fruits of their labors.

edit on 31-10-2013 by tovenar because: (no reason given)

Bingo.

For some reason, people think of Maine as nothing but lobsters, trees and farms. I lived in Maine for 18 years, spent the first few years of my life about 15 minutes from North Pond, in a city with a 15K population.

Sure, there's PLENTY of killer, untouched forests in Maine and even that area shows proof of that, but you only need to walk a few miles in either direction and you'll hit civilization. That whole lake region is fairly bustling in summer time, it's where people who live in Maine go for vacation. Even Winter time, it's a popular hunting area.

There's pllllleeennnnttty of summer homes that have every amenity you could ever need, little to zero security and are secluded enough that you could spend an entire winter next to an electric fireplace catching up on Breaking Bad and be gone before anyone everyone came back for summer.

Hunting and fishing are part of growing up in Maine, especially the higher north you go. That dude was going quite a bit beyond survival. You know how many ice fishing shacks there are up there? Specifically in that lake region!

Not lighting a fire out of worry of being caught? Bull#. There are so many cabins in the middle of no where up there that it's completely normal to see smoke coming from the middle of the forest. Either the media is making it sound a lot cooler than the story really is, or the guy is getting a kick out of feeding them bull#.

Regardless, I envy anyone who drops off the grid. It's been an idea I've entertained quite a bit in recent years. I'd pick a much warmer climate, hopefully find a tribe that would accept me and forget that a world outside of the jungle exists.

Where does one find a person qualified to "assist" him? Would a 30 year old psych major social worker who has never met a person who shuns society be good? Maybe she/he could teach him the benefit of social media, getting cable and networking with others of like minded people. Maybe some meds would be in order, after he signs up for his obamacare of course so his copay is lower.

A pox on the people who pressed charges after finding out what his deal was.

reply to post by Restricted


You say thief like he's Bernie Madoff or JP Morgan. Get some perspective you stupid a-hole.