A string of break-ins in the Charlotte area has been linked to a Gastonia man, who was caught on camera making odd use of the homes he allegedly entered. Tanou Chittamath, 46, is accused of breaking into homes, changing into the residents' clothes, and taking minimal items such as clothes and food but leaving behind more valuable possessions. Queen City News reported on Wednesday that neighbors in Madison Park had suspected Chittamath could be responsible for similar crimes in Charlotte, to which CMPD responded by confirming Chittamath as a suspect and issuing warrants for his arrest.
One of the more bizarre incidents involved resident Phil Mericle, who while being away for the weekend, received a slew of notifications from his Ring doorbell camera. "I see this shirtless guy walk in and out of my house from about midnight til 6:30 in the morning," Mericle told Queen City News. According to footage from the Ring camera, the suspect apparently made several outfit changes using Mericle’s wardrobe. Additionally, Mericle noted in a WCCB Charlotte interview that aside from a bag of clothes a passport, and a bag of cherries, nothing of great significance was taken.
Chittamath's arrest came after he was caught in a home in Lincoln County, wearing the clothes of the homeowner. Currently, he's being held without bond in Lincoln County jail and faces two felony counts of breaking and entering and possession of stolen goods. CMPd has also pursued charges for second-degree burglary and larceny after breaking and entering, as the crimes spanned over multiple counties.
As for Mericle, the incident left him feeling violated, especially because the intruder's activities weren't fully visible to the home's cameras. "I'm in there, wiping things down with bleach because I don’t know what he touched," Mericle said. "I don’t know what he slept on. I don’t know what he did.", as reported by WCCB. Chittamath’s spree, particularly his repeated, casual use of Mericle's house as a makeshift dressing room, straddles the line between petty thievery and intimate violation of private life.
