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09/21/2009: "Solid Leads On The Barefoot Burglar"

An 18 year old career criminal, with a police record that started when he was 12 years old, is still at large after he escaped from a group home in Renton in April of 2007.

Sheriff's deputies in Island County are said to be convinced Harris-Moore was once again breaking into vacation homes on Camano Island. He was believed to have been spotted there in July, chased, but was able to avoid capture.

Sheriff’s deputies in San Juan County think he may be the man in the Island Market surveillance photo . There is a possibility, based on the similarities between years of break-ins in Island County, and the recent crimes on San Juan and on Orcas , that Island Counties gain may be San Juan Counties loss, if in fact Mr. Harris-Moore is responsible for the crimes here.

Sheriff Bill Cumming officially acknowledged that the suspect is Colton Harris-Moore, and they do in fact have biological evidence that may link him through DNA analysis to the local crimes. Cummings said there is also a possible link to the plane stolen in November of 2008, and flown to eastern Washington -this would be in addition to the plane stolen from Friday Harbor, and flown to Orcas.

The Island Guardian emailed information and photos to reporters in Point Roberts last week, and asked if there had been any recent events there that might indicate Harris-Moore was at work up there, or had anyone seem the person in the photos. "No" to photos, but yes to break-ins. So, where is he now? Still here, or up there; or have any cars, boats, or airplanes been stolen lately? An if so, where were they abandoned?

At least two things are different now from when he started breaking the law as a 12 year old. He is now legally an adult, and he may be armed. An Island County Deputy sheriff’s car was broken into, and a rifle was stolen.

The only good news in all this -if there is any- is that when Harris-Moore is captured, he will stand trial as an adult. He will be serving some hard time.

Here is Colton Harris-Moore’s rap sheet -so far anyway:

Oct. 8, 2003 (age 12): Third-degree possession of stolen property in Snohomish County. Sentenced to 11 days.
Nov. 27, 2003 (age 12): Second-degree burglary, third-degree malicious mischief in Snohomish County. Sentenced to 10 days detention.
Dec. 31, 2003 (age 12): Fourth-degree assault in Island County. Sentenced to six months community service a.
March 16, 2004 (age 12): Second-degree theft in Snohomish County. Sentenced to 10 days.
July 2004 (age 13): Third-degree theft and possession of stolen property. Island County.
Feb. 28, 2005 (age 13): Second-degree attempted burglary in Snohomish County.
March 2, 2005 (13): First- and second-degree theft; sentenced to 50 days in jail.

May 28, 2006 (age 15): First-degree theft and possessing stolen property Island County Arrest warrant issued for missed court date.
July 3, 2006 (15): Second-degree burglary; sentenced to 30 days in jail detention
Feb. 9, 2007 (age 15): Arrested at a Camano Island home.

June 14, 2007 (16): Three counts of first-degree residential burglary in Island County
June 2007, Harris-Moore was convicted of three counts of residential burglary and sentenced to at least three years in confinement. On April 30, he escaped from a group home in Renton. He's been on the run since