I'd go as far as to say that by 1990 post-Operation Sundevil etc, this was considered common wisdom, and such people with great skill who never got arrested were the rule, not the exception. People pulled off fantastic things, but refused to do silly stuff like join groups or write about their exploits in G-philez, or even use the same alias on two forums (let alone doing anything from their house). You might have met up with them on an Alliance Teleconference or QSD once in awhile, but never at the 2600 meetup at the mall. These people tended to make it well into adulthood and lead rewarding lives, all without ever becoming a pushpin with pieces of yard tied to it on some Secret Service agent's cubicle wall. Of course, it doesn't make you as famous as an Esquire article does. But also, handcuffs hurt.

This is still true today, and of more hunted groups than just hackers.