ROME (NEWS CENTER Maine) — It's one of the most captivating stories from Maine in recent years- the discovery and arrest of Christopher Knight, better known as the North Pond Hermit.
Five years ago today, Knight was arrested during an early morning break-in at the Pine Tree Camp in Rome.
Christopher Knight is believed to have lived in a woods camp about a mile away.
During his twenty-seven years in isolation, he avoided human contact as much as possible.
Camp owners became accustomed to his burglaries and habits. One family learned that he would steal steak, but not lamb. They would label some of their steak as lamb to deter Knight from taking it.
A surveillance camera took a picture of the hermit during a break-in. Police thought publication of the picture would yield an arrest. However, no one recognized the 40-year-old who went into the woods at age 20.
It is believed that Christopher Thomas Knight committed more than a thousand burglaries.
He was sentenced to seven months in jail and ordered to pay $2000 in restitution to his victims.