Gastonia serial burglar linked to break-ins in Madison Park area of Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Gastonia man accused of breaking into a person’s home and then wearing their clothes has reportedly done it before.

On Wednesday Queen City News alerted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police about neighbors in Madison Park in Charlotte questioning whether 46-year-old Tanou Chittamath, a suspect in home break-ins in Lincoln County, is the same suspect in a similar crime in Charlotte.

Within an hour, CMPD confirmed Chittamath is also a suspect in a Charlotte home break-in and immediately got warrants for his arrest.

Phil Mericle was away for the weekend and woke up to alerts on his phone.

“I see this shirtless guy walk in and out of my house from about midnight til 6:30 in the morning,” said Mericle.

Mericle was out of town and getting alert after alert from his Ring doorbell camera.

“It was very, very odd.”

And a little unsettling.

“Initially I was a little scared.”

A stranger was in his house and making himself at home.

“Come to find out he actually slept in my bed for 2 to 3 hours,” said Mericle.

What Mericle saw on the video was bizarre–multiple outfit changes from his own wardrobe.

“The guy looks like he’s having a fashion show at my house, walks in and out of the house with a different shirt on, different shoes on, different socks, different hat.”

Turns out, detectives say this is the same guy, Chittamath, arrested for breaking into two homes in Lincoln County.

One where deputies say the homeowner came home and caught the suspect inside his house wearing his clothes and shoes…

“It’s crazy to me, it’s crazy that he did the exact same thing.”

Although it was unnerving.

“I thought my house was going to be cleaned out when I got back.”

Mericle says he’s only really out a bag of clothes and some hats.

“Honestly I don’t have the best fashion sense obviously, I do have some nice clothing that he didn’t touch and he just took the crappy stuff anyways,” said Mericle.

Jail records show Chittamath is still in Lincoln County under a $3,500 bond.

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