Action 3 News - Omaha, Nebraska News, Weather, and Sports | "Barefoot Bandit" Returns to America
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Miami, FL- The teenage "Barefoot Bandit," who allegedly stole cars, boats and airplanes to dodge U.S. law enforcement and who was nabbed Sunday, arrived in Miami, Florida Tuesday.
Flanked by authorities and wearing handcuffs, Colton Harris-Moore got off a plane and was quickly placed into a waiting unmarked police car.
According to Sgt. Chrislyn Skippings, a spokeswoman for the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Moore was arrested before dawn in northern Eleuthera.
Harris-Moore apparently tried to make a water escape, but he was captured, handcuffed, and shoeless as police took him into custody.
Moore's arrest ended his two-year life on the loose.
Island police had been searching for the fugitive since he allegedly crash-landed a stolen plane a week ago on nearby Great Abaco Island, where he was blamed for a string of at least seven break-ins.
Police say Harris-Moore was caught on a boat near Harbour Island, a small tourist destination just off mainland Eleuthera. Harris-Moore initially attempted to flee but police shot out the engine on his boat.
Harris-Moore has been running from American law enforcement since escaping from a Washington state halfway house in 2008. Harris-Moore gained fame and thousands of fans who admired his ability to evade arrest.
He is suspected of stealing cars, boats and at least five planes — including the aircraft he allegedly lifted in Indiana and flew more than one-thousand miles to the islands off Florida's coast, despite a lack of formal flight training.
Stealing an SUV in Norfolk, Nebraska, is just one of the allegations.
He was dubbed the "Barefoot Bandit" for allegedly going shoeless during some crimes and once allegedly leaving behind chalk footprints as a calling card.
Harris-Moore has nearly 58 thousand fans on Facebook, some of whom on Sunday posted disappointed messages or promoted T-Shirts and tote bags with the words "Free Colton!" and "Let Colton Fly!"
Reported by Robert Maday, rmaday@journalbroadcastgroup.com
