New Search For Colton Harris-Moore 'Scaled Down'

An extensive, new search for teen fugitive Colton Harris-Moore has been "scaled back to an ongoing investigation" after crews were not able to find him Thursday, said San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming.

A 35-member team began searching the west side of Orcas Island, specifically Turtleback Mountain, at about 1:15 a.m. Thursday.

VIDEO BACKSTORY: What It Takes To Get To Orcas Island

Resident Gary Bauder was asleep when he heard a helicopter landing in the field next to his house.

"It is getting very old for us. We'd like to go back to our normal lives," Bauder said.

Cumming said the search team responded to any reports of a suspicious person or activity. They also controlled ground access and air space was closed over the west side of the island.

The search was conducted by a team of deputies, law enforcement personnel and support staff, two teams of specially trained man trackers, two tracking dogs and a helicopter equipped with advanced detection equipment, Cumming said.

Hi Stickney lives at one of only a handful of homes inside the search zone where armed officers went door to door.

"He didn't say, ‘Stay in the house,’ but he did say, ‘Do you have your doors all locked?’ and I said, ‘Yes,’" Stickney said.

By 3 p.m., and with no sign of Harris-Moore, Cumming called off the search.

Officials won't say what prompted the search for the fugitive, but neighbors said they heard he had been seen near a home.

Police don’t believe he’s left the island since allegedly stealing a plane in Anacortes and landing it at the Eastsound Airport last month.

Known as the "barefoot bandit," Harris-Moore was first convicted at age 12 and is suspected in nearly 50 cases since he sneaked out the window of a Renton halfway house in April 2008, where he was serving a 3-year sentence for burglaries on Camano Island.

Lee Stoll Colton Harris-Moore search - road blocks on Orcas A roadblock on the west side of Orcas Island during the hunt for Colton Harris-Moore.

He has been on the run ever since and has managed to elude law enforcement, who believe he may be living in the woods at times. In some of the home burglaries the teen is suspected of committing, only items that were needed to survive outdoors were taken.

Harris-Moore is also suspected of stealing a boat, cars and four airplanes, all of which he crash-landed, police said.

The most recent incident in which the teen was dubbed "a person of interest" was a Feb. 28, 2009, burglary at an Ace Hardware store on Orcas Island. In that burglary, a drawing of bare feet was left on the floor.

The teen's alleged crimes have occurred in Washington, Idaho and British Columbia.

San Juan County Sheriff’s deputies on Orcas Island will continue the investigation.

Previous Stories: February 28, 2010: Teen Fugitive Harris-Moore May Be Responsible For Orcas Island Burglary February 26, 2010: FBI Not Interested In Teen Serial Robber Harris-Moore February 11, 2010: Harris-Moore May Be Back On Orcas Island October 8, 2009: Teen Fugitive Has Strong Facebook Following October 7, 2009: Attorney: DNA Links Teen Fugitive To ATM Burglary October 7, 2009: Mother Of Teen Fugitive Says Boy Should Turn Himself In October 5, 2009: Manhunt Suspended For Notorious Teen Suspected Of Firing On Deputies October 2, 2009: Fugitive Teen May Have Crashed Stolen Plane September 22, 2009: Teen Fugitive Blamed For Rash Of Crimes In San Juan County August 11, 2009: Teen Fugitive May Be Back On Camano Island July 24, 2008: Sheriff Says Teen Burglar Didn't Commit All Break-Ins July 18, 2008: Hunt For Teen Fugitive Takes New Turn June 25, 2008: Teen Burglar May Be Back At Camano Island, Residents Say April 30, 2008: Police: Burglar Escapes From Renton Group Home