SEATTLE — The “Barefoot Bandit” has received movie and book offers but is not interested in telling his story — nor does he want anyone else to do it, his attorney said Sunday.
Colton Harris-Moore, 19, is being held in Seattle on a federal count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
The U.S. attorney’s office says Harris-Moore is the primary suspect in at least 80 crimes committed since he escaped from a group home near Seattle in April 2008. They include stealing five airplanes, three of which were wrecked in crash landings, dozens of break-ins at homes and businesses, and the theft of cash, food, electronics, firearms, cars and boats across nine states, British Columbia and the Bahamas, where he was captured.
His attorney, John Henry Browne, told ABC News that Harris-Moore’s time as a fugitive wasn’t planned and he eluded authorities because he was afraid to turn himself in.
“He was sleeping in culverts, in ditches — and on occasion in a Porta-Potty or two,” Browne said.
Browne said he spoke with Harris-Moore for four hours on Saturday and found him to be “fascinating, intelligent and introspective.”
“He wanted me to give the message to the public that what he did was not romantic, that he shouldn’t be a role model,” Browne said during an interview on “Good Morning America.” “He actually doesn’t like the attention he is getting.”
Harris-Moore doesn’t plan to profit from his story and doesn’t want anyone else to either, Browne said.
“He felt if he told it or gave it away, it would no longer be his story,” Browne said. “Almost like, if you look in a mirror, your soul is stolen. It was really interesting.”
Asked about whether Harris-Moore flaunted his “Barefoot Bandit” image by drawing bare feet with chalk at one burglarized store, Browne said Harris-Moore intended it as a spoof.
“It was kind of like silly 19-year-old humor,” Browne said.
At a court hearing Friday, Harris-Moore did not contest his detention and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His next court appearance will likely come after a grand jury indictment.
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