A Waynesville man faces at least 32 criminal charges, most of them felonies, in connection with a string of recent breaking and entering cases and a house fire.

Rusty Teajay Lindsley, 28, of 185 Park Drive, was arrested last week after evidence from a house fire led detectives to his home.

Lt. Chris Chandler from the Waynesville Police Department said detectives were inundated with breaking and entering cases over the past three weeks in concentrated areas near downtown.

Detectives believe Lindsley's crime spree began on Feb. 15, when three cars were broken into on Hazelwood Avenue. He is charged with five other car break-in as well.

On March 7, residents of a home on Highland Road came home from work to find their front door had been kicked down and their house had been ransacked during ...