Hermit Who Lived In The Wilderness For Nearly 30 Years Explained Why
For three decades, the peaceful town of North Pond, Maine was plagued by a mysterious creature that lurked in the shadows, breaking into people's homes and striking fear in the hearts of its residents. Little did they know, the creature was actually a real-life hermit, who had been surviving alone in the wild for decades.
Get ready to keep reading and be transported to a world of mystery, survival and the ultimate reclusiveness as you discover the identity of this enigmatic hermit, and learn the incredible story of how he managed to live off the grid for so long. Keep reading through his amazing story to learn more!
Local Residents Noticed Things Going Missing
During the late 1980s, the community of North Pond, Maine, was plagued by an inexplicable phenomenon. Peculiar incidents began occurring, leaving residents bewildered and on edge. Flashlight batteries went missing, specific food items mysteriously vanished from refrigerators, and propane tanks that were thought to be full were inexplicably emptied.
The perplexing nature of these events led to a growing sense of suspicion and confusion among the community members. Families found themselves pointing fingers at each other, unable to fathom that anyone within their tight-knit community would engage in such trivial acts. The lack of a clear explanation intensified the residents' frustration and anxiety, driving them to the brink of madness in their desperate quest for answers.
They Were Haunted By These Break-Ins For Nearly 30 Years
The situation in North Pond took a chilling turn as the occurrences became increasingly sinister. Residents began noticing unsettling details, such as scratch marks on doorframes and chipped wood near window locks, suggesting forced entry. The incidents escalated as more items continued to vanish, leaving no doubt that the community was being targeted by burglaries.
Desperate to protect themselves, people took measures such as changing locks and installing security systems. However, their efforts proved futile as the mysterious intruder or intruders seemed to outsmart their precautions. The fear intensified as the residents grappled with the uncertainty of whether the perpetrator was an individual or a group and whether they posed a threat beyond mere theft. For nearly three decades, the haunting presence loomed over the community of North Pond, leaving its residents in a constant state of unease and fear, tormented by the unknown entity or entities responsible for their ordeal.
Residents Of North Pond Were Vigilant
he residents of North Pond, despite their best efforts, faced challenges in maintaining vigilant surveillance. Being situated in a rural region, permanent residents were scattered and lacked close proximity to one another, making it difficult to catch any suspicious activity in real-time. Moreover, a significant number of cabins in the area served as vacation homes, remaining unoccupied for extended periods.
Incidents of theft were reported to local authorities, but their ability to provide effective assistance was limited due to the remote location and sparse population. In a desperate attempt to communicate with the perpetrator, one resident resorted to posting a note on their door, pleading with the burglar to refrain from breaking in. The resident even went as far as offering to leave out any necessary items if the culprit(s) would simply make their needs known. Regrettably, there was no response, and the robberies persisted, leaving the community of North Pond in a state of frustration and helplessness.
They Told Ghost Stories About The "North Pond Hermit"
Even more peculiar than the mysterious robberies were the items that were being stolen. Batteries, kitchenware, clothes, books, magazines, and junk food were always reported missing. But items of immense monetary value were never taken from these homes.
As these burglaries raged on for decades the person or persons responsible have become fodder for local legends. Ghost stories about the "North Pond Hermit" were swapped around the campfire. With no answers for so long, possible explanations for the thefts have veered into myths. The North Pond Hermit was also called the "Hungry Man," the "stealthy yeti," or "Maine's Loch Ness monster."
Sergeant Terry Hughes Wanted Answers
Local authorities tried everything to catch the North Pond Hermit over the years. Two county sheriff's departments, the Maine state police, and even the game warden service conducted foot searches, flyovers, and even dusted fingerprints with no luck.
But after so many years, Maine game warden Sergeant Terry Hughes became obsessed. He was determined to catch the hermit. With the help of border patrol agents, he installed top secret Homeland Security equipment at the Pine Tree Camp at North Pond where he often volunteered. Sure that the hermit would strike their kitchen in the off-season, he waited for about two weeks.
Hughes Spotted The Hermit
On a brisk April night just after 1 A.M., Hughes's motion detectors went off. The hermit was at the camp. Having had this moment planned down to a 'T', Hughes rushed out of his home and made it to the camp in about four minutes.
He crept up to the kitchen window to confirm his suspicions. He spotted a single man filling up his backpack, but the man was a little chubby and clean shaven — not what he expected.
The Man He Saw Was Not What He Expected
Careful to be discreet so as to not scare off the burglar, Hughes quietly called for backup. He phoned Maine State Police Trooper Diane Vance, who had also been chasing down the hermit for many years.
Hughes was just a game warden, so it was Vance that actually had more authority to make a legitimate arrest. He noticed the burglar head toward an exit different from where he'd entered. Knowing that the hermit often escaped without a trace, Hughes knew this would be his only chance to catch him. As the burglar slipped out of the dining hall, Hughes ambushed him.
The North Pond Hermit Was Finally Caught
"Get on the ground!" Hughes bellowed. The burglar made no attempt to escape and did not resist. Candy spilled out of his pockets as he lay facedown. The North Pond Hermit was finally apprehended.
Once Vance arrived, the North Pond Hermit was placed in handcuffs and they sat him down for questioning. This man was strangely pale, wore outdated glasses, and had on some lightly worn winter clothes. He was clean, didn't smell, but had no identification. He refused to speak, so Hughes eventually left him alone with Vance. After they gave him water, he eventually started to talk.
The Hermit's True Identity Is Revealed
"My name is Christopher Thomas Knight," the man told Vance. She also learned that he was born on December 7, 1965. He had no address or car, and he didn't pay taxes because he lived in the woods.
Knight didn't know how long he had been living in the woods. He stopped keeping track of months and years long before that. He did remember that the Chernobyl nuclear-plant disaster happened just before he decided to leave for the woods. That was in 1986. Knight was only 20 years old back then. He was 47 by the time he finally got caught in 2013.
Knight Didn't Resist Arrest Because He Was Ashamed
Christopher Thomas Knight confessed to his crimes almost immediately, admitting that he was ashamed. He had committed at least 40 robberies a year, which amounts to hundreds of break-ins.
Although it is a crime, it's pretty impressive that Knight got away with this for almost 30 years. He said he never broke in when someone was home and was careful to leave little to no trace. He only stole what was necessary — food, propane, clothes, reading materials. He did admit that everything he owned was stolen, except for his eyeglasses which were from the '80s.
He Was Actually From A Nearby Town
After looking him up in the system, Vance learned that Knight had no criminal record. He explained that he grew up in Albion, Maine, just under an hour away from where he was living in the woods.
Investigators soon found Knight's senior picture in the 1984 Lawrence High School yearbook. He was wearing the same exact glasses he had on when they found him. Though Vance was sure that Knight was not dangerous, he was still arrested and charged with burglary and theft. That night he was taken to the Kennebec County jail, where he slept indoors for the first time in 27 years.
One Day He Just Decided To Walk Away
In 1985, Knight bought a brand new Subaru Brat but he wouldn't be using it for too long. He quit his job after less than a year and drove back up to Maine, passing through his hometown without stopping.
"I drove until I was nearly out of gas. I took a small road. Then a small road off that small road. Then a trail off that," Knight told Finkel. After parking the car and leaving the keys in the center console, he was off. "I had a backpack and minimal stuff. I had no plans. I had no map. I didn't know where I was going. I just walked away."
Eventually, He Had To Resort To Stealing Food
At first, Knight was able to get by foraging for food. He ate roadkill and took vegetables from people's gardens. But he knew that he couldn't sustain himself on vegetables alone and that's when he resorted to stealing.
"I was always scared when stealing. Always... It was usually 1 or 2 A.M. I'd go in, hit the cabinets, the refrigerator. In and out. My heart rate was soaring. It was not a comfortable act." Knight added, "I'm a thief. I induced fear. People have a right to be angry. But I have not lied."
No One Could Believe How He Possibly Survived Out There For So Long
People were skeptical that Knight survived all those years sleeping outside. Some even suggested that he ought to have slept inside one of the cabins he broke into, maybe even use the bathroom. But he insisted that he never once did any of that.
Knight's campsite was in a clearing that was about the size of a bedroom. He had an area for washing up, a nearby latrine and dump site, and a two-burner stove. People couldn't believe that Knight survived the harsh winters out in the wilderness, but he did. He spent all of the fall seasons preparing for it, bulking up on stolen junk food and booze.
He Only Spoke One Word To One Person In 27 Years
Knight was careful not to leave a traces of his presence anywhere he went. He'd scatter pine needles over borrowed canoes after using them and was careful not to venture out in winter, for fear of leaving footprints.
He never even got sick or had to see a doctor for almost 30 years — you have to be around people to catch something. For almost 30 years, Knight truly had no contact with the outside world. The last time he encountered another human, he recalls, was in the '90s. He passed a hiker in the woods and merely said, "hi." — the only time he spoke to someone in 27 years.
The Court Didn't Know What To Do With Him
Knight spent months in jail while they decided what to do with him. A case like this had no precedent. Citizens who were affected by Knight's crimes had mixed emotions once the truth was revealed.
For years North Pond residents had lost their peace of mind, not knowing what or who was lurking out there. But once they found out about Knight, many of them were sympathetic. Even though they were victims in the case, sending Knight to prison was too cruel of a punishment for someone that really meant no harm and just wanted to be left alone.
Christopher Thomas Knight Ultimately Wants To Be Left Alone
Six months after his arrest, Christopher Thomas Knight appeared in court and pleaded guilty to thirteen counts of burglary and theft. The Kennebec County Superior Court sentenced him to seven months in jail, much of which was already served while they were deliberating his case.
Knight was also sentenced to two years of probation, meeting with the judge every Monday and abstaining from liquor. Within this time, he found a job with his brother and stayed with his mother in the house he grew up in. No one really knows what's become of him now, since he wants to continue to live as invisibly as possible.
What do you think? Would you be able to live the way Knight lived? Let us know in the comments!
