Who Is the Barefoot Bandit (AKA Colton Harris-Moore)

Modern-day folk heroes are rare. Stories about criminals who are on a mission to shake up the mundane world that’s turned its back on these individuals leave room for our imagination to wander, including Colton Harris-Moore, also known as the Barefoot Bandit.

Born on March 22, 1991, in Mount Vernon, Washington, Colton Harris-Moore, popularly known as the Barefoot Bandit, became a media sensation after committing a series of crimes without wearing shoes. By the age of 7, Harris-Moore was running away from his unstable and abusive environment at home.

After dodging warrants for his arrest after failing to attend a mandatory court date, Harris-Moore set up hidden campsites in the Camano Island woods and continued burglarizing homes for food and supplies. When he broke into homes with computers, Harris-Moore would access them to learn how to steal identities, including order credit cards that he would use to purchase food and survival gear.

After an early release for good behavior, Harris-Moore was relocated to a place with better escape opportunities. On April 29, 2008, Harris-Moore slipped out of his new halfway house, and a felony warrant was issued for his arrest.

After Harris-Moore was identified as the person in photos taken on a digital camera found in a stolen black Mercedes, along with an assortment of stolen credit cards and cell phones, the authorities used the image to help the public identify the teenager, according to CNN.

Harris-Moore dodged the authorities once again by moving to Orcas Island. In August 2008, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office began receiving an increasing number of burglaries. By November 12, the pressure from the communities of Orcas Island led Harris-Moore to steal a Cessna 182, a single-engine airplane.

The Cessna belonged to the popular KZOK-FM radio host Bob Rivers, who commented on the incident, telling listeners, “I don’t buy this folk-hero stuff … I was furious that something like this could happen. I really want him caught.” However, Harris-Moore becomes a bit of a folk hero despite this.

The cat-and-mouse game between Harris-Moore and the authorities lasted until the summer of 2010. Harris-Moore, now 19 years old, was facing off with the FBI. After making it to Illinois and stealing a plane on July 4, 2010, Harris-Moore was attempting to escape to Cuba, hoping the country’s lack of extradition treaties with the U.S. would save him.

Harris-Moore was sentenced to six years in prison on January 27, 2012. Soon after reporting to prison, Harris-Moore sold the rights to his story to 20th Century Fox for $1.4 million, which all went toward restitution per the terms of his sentencing.

Colton Harris-Moore now resides in Settle, where his obsession with airplanes is still alive. While stealing five airplanes seemed to be enough for the now 32-year-old, Harris-Moore attempted to go to flight school. The dream was ultimately crushed when the court-ordered restitution notified him that he still owed his victims $129,000.

After the rights to his story were sold, “The Barefoot Bandit Documentary” was released quite quickly. Directed by Carly Bodmer, the documentary chronicles the entire wild adventure Harris-Moore went through, including the five airplanes, three guns, 11 boats, and 14 cars he stole.

While there have been no narrative films made about Harris-Moore’s life, his likeness has become the inspiration for some characters, including Barefoot Billy from Netflix’s “Maid.” While the series never shows us if Barefoot Billy is alive, there are many fan theories about the unseen character.