The Stranger in the Woods

On April 4, 2013, Christopher Knight makes his way from his forest camp to what would be his final raid on the residents of North Pond in Kennebec County, Maine. While navigation would be cumbersome for anyone else, he travels “with precision and grace, twisting, striding, hardly a twig broken” (3). He avoids crossing the frozen-but-thawing pond in favor of a path around the lake with tree roots he could use to mask footprints. He carries a backpack and a canvas bag with flashlights, flathead screwdrivers, and a Leatherman multi-tool. He is “deeply, almost dangerously hungry” and low on supplies after the long winter (6).

Knight arrives at his target: The Pine Tree special needs summer camp. He easily avoids the motion-activated camera system the camp installed specifically for him and picks up a hidden set of keys from a rock. He steals 10 rolls of Smarties for food and a cheap analog watch from an unlocked pickup truck in case his other watches break. Knight pries open the back door to the dining hall and enters the kitchen, where he takes coffee, pasta, and snacks before using the keys on the freezer and helping himself to the meat and cheese inside.