Elwood's Back (trail thief)

[Butter]

On July 13th I had an encounter with Elwood, a trail thief from last year, 2 miles north of the Mason-Dixon line near Deer Lick Shelters. I am the ridgerunner for the area this summer and I was on the trail last summer when Elwood stole from several hikers.

While not dangerous, Elwood has a long history of stealing gear and services from both day hikers, thru hikers, and towns. This year we do have reports of items going missing immediately after Elwood's appearance in an area.

Elwood can be identified as a male in his 40's to 50's. His most distinguishing feature is his rotted/tartered front teeth which are very noticable. He changes his name often; this year he has gone by "Constant Motion," "Zeke," and "Skid Marks." His real name is Steven Bundy. Additionally, he is in the habit of telling stories regarding the PCT. This year's deviation which I heard regarded Elwood coming to the AT after 1500 miles into the PCT near Mt. Shasta (he had to bail out because of heavy storms). Also, Elwood makes up stories regarding the deaths of his wife and son. All of these stories are made and told in an effort to soften hikers in the area up so they don't suspect him when he steals from their packs. Generally, Elwood will wait around camp in the mornings and evenings until hikers go to the privy or are not watching their possesions.

As of July 24th, 2004 I believe Elwood is in Centrail/Northern Pennsylvania. Please watch your possesions and respond to this thread with continued sightings so ridgerunners can track his progress and watch him.

All the best,
Ridgerunner Butta'
Southern PA

[Jack Tarlin]

Good post. I suggest you notify the following folks about this if you haven't already:

*The ATC office in Harper's Ferry, the Park Service A.T. office, and also the Outfitter there, in case he's heading South.

*The ATC regional office in Boiling Springs and the folks at the Doyle Hotel and the hostel in Delaware Water Gap in case he's moving North.

Putting your post in shelter registers in the area couldn't hurt either. When he realizes that people are on to him, maybe he'll move on.

[2XL]

Does this guy tend to stay down south of NY or could he turn up anywhere?

I think I will print Butter's post and put it in a couple NY shelter registers to give SOBO's a warning.

[Uncle Wayne]

My wife and I met this guy last November in the parking area near Springer. As our shuttle was leaving and we started toward the first white blaze on Springer, he called out that he had just finished his thru hike. That caught our attention so we walked over to him and congratulated him on his accomplishment. He had decided to hike the Benton McKay trail and then onto Florida, his "home" last year, but was in no hurry to leave since Springer Mtn. was his wife's favorite mountain. He gave us a very convincing story about his wife dying and her last wish was for him to complete a thru hike. He scattered her ashes from Katahdin and etc, etc. We talked awhile and after finding out we were headed to Springer and then back to Neels Gap, he offered to watch our packs so we wouldn't have to carry them while we went to Springer and then backtracked to the parking area.
Eventhough I was completely fooled by his story I declined his offer and we headed toward Springer. When we returned he was gone. We met Bluegrasshopper at Stover Creek Shelter a little later as he was finishing his thru hike. He warned us of a thief on the trail and that he was in this area. When he described him we knew it was our "friend" from the parking area. Butter description of him is exactly as we remember him also.
We heard later that he had joined up with a group on the Benton McKay trail.

[Youngblood]

Uncle Wayne,

I remember your story from last year. He probably moves around AND he is probably not the only character like that on the AT.

I remember hiking on the AT in north Georgia the September before my thru-hike. This girl approached me (and my girlfriend) at a parking lot and asked for help, as she was doing a southbound hike from somewhere in Virginia, was camping at Whitley Gap Shelter and had run out of food & money. Some things didn't seem right about her story, but I gave her a couple of candy bars and went off on my weekend backpacking trip. Funny thing... I saw this same girl on my thru-hike six months later only a half a mile away from that same road crossing (Hogpen Gap the first time, Testenee Gap the second time) hitting up some thru-hikers for stuff (in this case she got some food and shared what looked like a 'funny cigeratte'). I pointed out what I knew about her to other thru-hikers in front of her and just went on my way. Either she was a 'strange local', didn't hike very fast, was homeless and survived in the woods during the woods through out the winter months or something. However, she was not likely what she said... and I wouldn't want to leave my pack with her to watch.

Be careful out there and remember that con artists are usually good at what they do... or they have to find something else.

Youngblood

[pvtmorriscsa]

Why doesn't someone knock the ***** out of this thief. All I got to say is that if I discover someone rummaging through my possesions, they are not going to like the consequences of their actions.
Unless they are the furry ursoid sort of thief then I imagine they can pretty much take what they like.

[Disney]

I met Zeke with my father coming out of the Greyson Highlands. He struck me as extremely odd from the beginning.

His wife and son were killed by a drunk driver.
He was driven off the PCT because of storms.
He promised his wife he would finish a thru hike on her death bed.

He was south bound. We gave him a ride to Damascus, and actually bought him a cup of coffee.

[rumbler]

Elwood. What a treat.

Last year his wife had been killed somehow. His son had just been killed in Iraq, and the military buried him without notifying Elwood. Elwood himself in a remarkable coincidence had been held captive and tortured in Iran for months during the hostage crisis in 1979, and killed 2 guards to get out on an Air Force chopper. All of which went unknown to us, since he was deeply undercover. All of this I found out from Elwood during a 12-hour period leaving Damascus. Subtle he is not.

I ran into him on a road outside of Waynesboro where he was waiting for his nephews to arrive to take him to Arlington to pray at his sons grave. The next day I am reading his journal entry describing an epic night hike that covered almost twenty miles in a bit under five hours, no mention of Arlington.

He had hiked all through Mexico, not from a love of hiking but from a need "to find someone deserving payback". He left lewd journal entries, and was apparently caught last year spanking his kids in a shelter, much to the horror of the gal trying to sleep next to him. Although I heard this one second hand, so perhaps the legend developed a life of its own.

In one of the best events of last year's hike - ranking high in the pantheon of greatest trail moments ever - he was arrested for stealing after being chased up a hill and caught by Karma, a very entertaining hiker who happended to be staying at the hostel that evening.

The guy is pathological. He knows you don't believe him, and it just forces him into even more outrageous stories. I would almost feel sorry for him if he wasn't such a ****bag.

[TakeABreak]

This entire read interesting, This is the first I have heard of this, but am not amazed at what he is doing. Personally, I would do as a few others mentioned if I caught him going thru my **** or stuff came up missing after he was around and it could not have been any else. I would save myself and others a lot of grief, and give some relief to my fellow tax payers.

[bearbait2k4]

I am really confused as to how warning people about a con artist on the trail can be perceived as a witch hunt.

If information about characters, such as this guy, is verified to be true and posted to warn others, then I can see nothing but good coming from it. Especially in a community where you usually can and will trust almost everyone you run across enough to turn your back on your portable home in their presence. I’m all for any effort to remove persons like this from the trail, instead of having the trail turn into a community where you can’t feel that you can trust the next hiker you come across.

I don’t think anyone is trying to create the perfect world here, just trying to preserve the imperfect one that already exists.

[BonzNRio]

I was really hoping to find a post(s) saying that the s.o.b. had been caught.While in Harpers Ferry he was going by another name.The day after he was walking up the steps from the train station & the owner of the outfitters called him by Elwood & he turned,waved,smiled then crapped on hisself.

[Mountain Dew]

Chore Boy aka owner of Outfitters at Harpers Ferry, Called Elwood by his "real" trail name after seeing him from the balcony ? That's totally hilarious. I think I would have chimed in with... " Hey Elwood, can I get you anything besides somebody elses gear ?"

[hiker dude]

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Thats what makes me sick, ok?

Those who judge shall be judged themselfs also, be carefull, its not over yet.

So Ok you told everyone. Great. Is that all your doing? Don't stop on my account. From beyond the sun.

[Stagger Lee]

Encountered alleged AT section hiker as my wife and I were leaving Kimberly's Restaurant on US 11 near Dickinson College. He was around late 40s early 50s in age and looking for someplace for a "couple of cold Budweisers." He said he was heading south. Had old kanvas pack and hand-carried bedroll. Said he had no trailname. Reminded me of Humphrey Bogart character in Treasure of Sierra Madre. Even if it is not Elwood, I had negative vibes about him. He had an American flag hanging from back of his pack. Sorry if I just bad-mouthed an OK hiker, but take it for what it's worth. He was friendly enough (just like Elwood?).

[Blue Sky II]

Elwood's picture is in the photo section of White Blaze.....select "Faces", then select "Trail Legends." Excellent picture!

[TOW]

is he around this year?

[Blue Sky II]

is he around this year?

Hope not, for other hikers. He preys on the kindness of the trail community.

[Bolivershagnasty]

Well get the word out definitly to everyone. If you see this thief call him out and embarass him all you can. I can't believe the person that saw him partying at Trail Dayz didn't call him out right in front of as many people as you could. Call him by his real name "bundy" as in the serial killer and if you see him in town tell an officer because I gaurente this guy has missed a court apperance or two and has bench warrants out on him. Plus as soon as he know's alot of people know him, reconize him and call him out he'll leave the At and go back to the intersection holding the "will work for food sign".

[Debbie]

This may be the same guy I ran into at Lost Mountain Shelter near Damascus in Oct. 2003. He was going by the name "Injun" at that time. Said he was from Kentucky and on medical leave from the military. Had an obsession with trapping shelter mice and carried traps. He has dark/graying hair, dark eyes, and is very "hyper". I also was told he left a campfire burning at Lost Mountain when he left that morning. He was wearing black jeans, black army tank top, knee pads and raindear bells strapped around his knees "to keep bears away". Friendly but very strange. Also talked about the military complaining that he was "too violent". Be careful.

[Debbie]

I found a picture someone posted of Elwood, Saved, etc.- if accurate, this is not the same guy I encountered at Lost Mountain Shelter.