Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén
Aug 3, 2026 · 35 min · 15 segments
A teenage runaway becomes a folk hero and a nationwide fugitive as he steals planes, boats, and cars—often barefoot—turning a two-year crime spree into one of the most unlikely manhunts in modern…
Harvey GuillénHost
Anyway, this story isn't about a Robin Hood figure exactly, but it does center around a thief who achieves a similar status, someone who's seen as such an underdog that he becomes a folk hero and divides public opinion almost down the middle.
I'm gonna tell you the story the way it played out in the media as it was happening, okay? You can decide what camp you fall into afterwards.
So the story starts out on Camano Island, which is attached to the mainland, Washington, by a little road.
The island is not very big, and there are like two state parks in it, plus lots of wilderness.
Back in the 2000s, it was only home to about 15,000 people, which gives it a real small community feel.
It's the kind of place where people don't even think twice before leaving their doors unlocked.
But in the winter of 2006, the island experiences a string of burglaries that completely change the mood around town.
Suddenly, people start deadbolting their homes, buying security systems, and carrying guns.
The culprit hits businesses and homes, stealing mostly cash, food, and clothing.
Sometimes, though, they'll break in and just use the bathroom or take a shower, which is pretty strange.
But what's even stranger is that February, police announce their main suspect is a 15-year-old kid.
His name is Colton Harris Moore, and he's lived on the island since he was born, in a trailer with his mom, Pam.
They've watched him grow up, and the general sentiment is most people don't wanna believe he's responsible for the break-ins.
He could benefit from a little guidance, but deep down inside, he's a really good kid.
He couldn't explain why he did what he did, but at that time he apparently told his principal he couldn't stop stealing, like it was some kind of compulsion.
You gotta admit, that's an odd thing to say as a 12-year-old to an adult, right, admitting that? But maybe those adults should have taken his confession a little more seriously because now officials are having a really hard time tracking him down, and it's not their first time struggling to catch Colton.
Just last year, they had to set up an elaborate ruse involving an officer going undercover as a pizza delivery guy in order to arrest him for another charge.
Anyway, this story isn't about a Robin Hood figure exactly, but it does center around a thief who achieves a similar status, someone who's seen as such an underdog that he becomes a folk hero and divides public opinion almost down the middle.
I'm gonna tell you the story the way it played out in the media as it was happening, okay? You can decide what camp you fall into afterwards.
So the story starts out on Camano Island, which is attached to the mainland, Washington, by a little road.
The island is not very big, and there are like two state parks in it, plus lots of wilderness.
Back in the 2000s, it was only home to about 15,000 people, which gives it a real small community feel.
It's the kind of place where people don't even think twice before leaving their doors unlocked.
But in the winter of 2006, the island experiences a string of burglaries that completely change the mood around town.
Suddenly, people start deadbolting their homes, buying security systems, and carrying guns.
The culprit hits businesses and homes, stealing mostly cash, food, and clothing.
Sometimes, though, they'll break in and just use the bathroom or take a shower, which is pretty strange.
But what's even stranger is that February, police announce their main suspect is a 15-year-old kid.
His name is Colton Harris Moore, and he's lived on the island since he was born, in a trailer with his mom, Pam.
They've watched him grow up, and the general sentiment is most people don't wanna believe he's responsible for the break-ins.
He could benefit from a little guidance, but deep down inside, he's a really good kid.
He couldn't explain why he did what he did, but at that time he apparently told his principal he couldn't stop stealing, like it was some kind of compulsion.
You gotta admit, that's an odd thing to say as a 12-year-old to an adult, right, admitting that? But maybe those adults should have taken his confession a little more seriously because now officials are having a really hard time tracking him down, and it's not their first time struggling to catch Colton.
Just last year, they had to set up an elaborate ruse involving an officer going undercover as a pizza delivery guy in order to arrest him for another charge.
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