An American teenager, known as the Barefoot Bandit, who is wanted in four states for burglary, shoplifting and stealing boats and private planes has been arrested after trying to flee on a stolen boat from a marina on Harbour Island, Bahamas.

Originally from Washington State in the far north-west of the USA, 19-year-old Colton Harris-Moore taught himself to fly and stole four light aircraft during a two year $3million cross-country crime spree, during which he also broke into people’s houses, stole groceries, cars and boats.

Since crash landing in the Bahamas last week, Harris-Moore is implicated in the theft of a 40ft boat from Great Abaco and a 15ft tender in which he arrived at Romora Bay Resort and Marina. He escaped from the marina and staff disabled the boat.

But when he returned, police and the marina security guard immediately gave chase and he allegedly stole another boat, this time a 30-foot speed boat that was moored at the marina.

He reportedly ran aground and police disabled the boat by shooting the outboard engine.

He is the prime suspect in as many as 100 burglaries on a string of islands in Washington state’s Puget Sound, where speedboats were used to gain access to empty summer houses on private islands.

He is now in custody in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, and is likely to be brought before a court tomorrow.