Barefoot Bandit

[whiteman]

We can all Marvell at what he did with the planes but, a crime is a crime.Just be thankful he did not move on to Identity theft

Yet

"But mom, I don't have enough simulator time to steal twin engines yet!"

Btw, waiting on Rockstar games to make Grand Theft Air.

basically do, you never stole the Apache or any of the other planes?

[trax1]

    Apparently you think only wealthy people pay insurance premiums?  And that's only the monetary end of it.  How
do you feel about thieves putting your friends and family in danger?

I'm saying that I like the kids story about what he did and the way he did it, you can't say that it's not an extremely interesting story, in fact 20th Century Fox has already purchased the movie rights to the story, and yes I think he has to pay for what he's done, and I highly doubt that this kids crime spree was so extensive that it's gonna be raising any insurance premiums for the American public, and yeah I know your already gonna say maybe not him but people like him do, well I'm talking about him not people like him, as I said I find the kids story interesting, and you wanna get mad at anyone get mad at him not me, all I've done is say my opinion on him, I'm not robbing people nor will I be.

[Babalonian]

I'm saying that I like the kids story about what he did and the way he did it, you can't say that it's not an extremely interesting story, in fact 20th Century Fox has already purchased the movie rights to the story, and yes I think he has to pay for what he's done, and I highly doubt that this kids crime spree was so extensive that it's gonna be raising any insurance premiums for the American public, and yeah I know your already gonna say maybe not him but people like him do, well I'm talking about him not people like him, as I said I find the kids story interesting, and you wanna get mad at anyone get mad at him not me, all I've done is say my opinion on him, I'm not robbing people nor will I be.

Yeah, but you seem to have this really bad sence of equal justice for all, besides being no better or different than the crowds of mindless sheep that gather around police and laud them for enforcing the law in "the hood".  Explain to me the benefits of treating/punishing one individual differently for the crimes they commited from another individual who commited the same crimes?  Explain to me how this kid's story is any more special or unique than another's persuit of dreams of freedom while continueing to disregard authorities and the law and eventualy ending with him jsut giving up more of their freedom due to bad decisions?  This "kid" is an adult, he figured out the internets and has a huge supportive following, the same way a gangster figures out the streets and influences the neighborhood to be supportive of their lifestyle.  He should be treated no differently than any other adult in our country's judicial system facing the same crimes.

[trax1]

Yeah, but you seem to have this really bad sence of equal justice for all, besides being no better or different than the crowds of mindless sheep that gather around police and laud them for enforcing the law in "the hood".  Explain to me the benefits of treating/punishing one individual differently for the crimes they commited from another individual who commited the same crimes?  Explain to me how this kid's story is any more special or unique than another's persuit of dreams of freedom while continueing to disregard authorities and the law and eventualy ending with him jsut giving up more of their freedom due to bad decisions?  This "kid" is an adult, he figured out the internets and has a huge supportive following, the same way a gangster figures out the streets and influences the neighborhood to be supportive of their lifestyle.  He should be treated no differently than any other adult in our country's judicial system facing the same crimes.

And by our courts he will be treated the same as any other person, and what do you mean by "bad sense of equal justice", when have I ever stated that he shouldn't be punished by the courts for what he's done, in fact I've said that he did these crimes and he should do the time.

If you can't figure out why this kids story is intriguing to people then I'm not sure how to explain it to you, but it's been this way in America with these types of stories and has been for some time, it's not just me, the kid has over 90,000 fans on his Faecbook page alone.

[bustr]

A.) As soon as he left Washington State he got caught.

This indicates he had an extensive network of fans supporting him with everything from money to hiding places to elude capture. A small "Stick it to the Rich" army of criminal accomplices. The Bermuda Police treated him as nothing but the criminal he was and apprehended him very quickly. A genius would have anticipated the need to change his MO in the face of not having an extensive support network. His MO got him caught.<-----Stupid Arrogant Criminal.

B.) OOOOhhhhh, he is a genius for teaching himslef to fly.

I grew up with my father as a private pilot since I was 4 where he started flying gliders at the London Gliding Club, Dunstable Downs, England 1960.

He realised the inherit stability required by the FAA in the design of non-experimental aircraft licensed for sale to the general public. They are very sturdy and stable to fly. He has the same balsyness I've encountered in adrenaline junky's from down hill racing at 60-70mph on rollerblades to Big Wall climbing. More guts than brains and if something only broke their bones, they would be back with a cast still on the limbs.<----The producers of love muffin could have used him.

C.) After 2 years of non-lethal criminal activity he became an accepted niusance by the local community and police. Bermuda Police did not accept him as anything but a dangerous criminal to be captured a.s.a.p.

I worked as a locksmith for a few years. Picking standard 4-8 pin locks is simple once you learn how the spring backed pins relate to the lock barrel. Breaking into homes in remote locations and their boat houses is easy if no one is home or will be for awhile. Empty homes is a common condition in that part of Washington which everyone in the area knows about. Stealing boats there is easy and many small airfeilds have no one on sight after sundown. I worked as a general service pump jocky at the BayBridge Airport in Maryland when I was 18. We closed the door at sundown and the locks on small planes are 4 pin at best. Two paper clips will suffice. Many are left unlocked.

Once captured he did not have the balls to stand up straight and look any of the grown men who captured him in the eyes or the camera showing the world what a POS he was. Or are those here worshiping him in rapture thinking: "Dern between the movie royalties and the books and the personal apperences in 10 years, he's a millionair when he gets out!" I beleive Federal Judges have some say about being able to cash in on the crimes that put you before them. Or, who gets the proceeds when restitiution comes time. His fans and the media made him into a "genius criminal". The police in Bermuda sent him packing in chains.

[trax1]

Your first section of your post, part A.) doesn't add up with what actually happened, for one how was this extensive network of fans that you say were supporting him even track him down to begin with to give him this support?  Also all the evidence kinda shows that he wasn't receiving support from anyone, the homes that he broke into were vacation homes that were empty giving him a place to stay at times, and a lot of the things that were taken from these homes indicated that he was staying in the outdoors, like supplies.

Like I've said, what he did makes for a pretty interesting story, all it is for me is entertainment value.

[trax1]

You know one other thing, all of you that seem to be just appalled at the fact that me or anyone else seem to enjoy this kids story, do you all then not like stories or movies about people like John Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde, Jesse James, or Billy the kid?

[bustr]

Once you do the research on the criminals who's stories you are so infatuated with you find they are every day people who robbed and killed other people by CHOOSING to be criminals. I've known drug dealers, murderers and assorted other kinds of criminal. In real life they are not romantic, some very frightning and destructive, some so charming you make up excuses for their criminal actions. In the end they will steal from you, murder you, or what ever their criminal flavor towards you because thats what they have chosen to do with their lives.

Romanticising them is making excuses for their conduct and enables them. I've also found the very people who romaticise them have a general personal ambiguosity towards good and evil or right and wrong. Only the novalty matters to them. The kid is a criminal. His fans and the media enabled him by turning him into a sensation. No fan who assisted him is going to tell the truth because it enabled their enfatuation with his legend. He got caught because his MO only worked for him in a region where he was a media sensation and the local police treated him like a nuisance. The Bermuda police treated him as a criminal and sent him home in chains.

There is nothing fascinating about this criminal unless you have a dull life and wish you could do the things he did. Ive done all of them but, under the color of law and payed my own way. Everything you are smitten with that he has done is very easy to do. Just get off your thucus, save the money, and go do them. Once caught the puke didn't have the stones to even stand up straight and face the camera. Thats a facsinating human being.....

[DREDger]

Not for nuthin, but Bustr comes across kindof preachy imo