27-year-old Dustin Dennis Hunter of Grandview Lane in Lincolnton has been arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Officers. He was charged with breaking & entering a place of worship, larceny after breaking & entering (two counts), possession of stolen goods (two counts), injury to real property, second-degree arson, and felony breaking & entering a building.

Events leading to Hunter’s arrest began on March 7 when Deputies were dispatched to Southside Baptist Church, just off the Gastonia Highway, in reference to a break-in at the church’s fellowship hall. The suspect entered through a storage room and broke a back window. A number of items purchased for bingo gifts were stolen. Detectives gathered evidence at the scene.

Hunter is also accused of breaking into a building on the 1,900 block of the Gastonia Highway yesterday. Fire officials say a fire was started at two locations in the building, but the fire went out before it spread. Prints lifted at the scene were a match for Hunter. He was charged in connection with both break-ins yesterday (May 24).

Hunter was placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond. A first appearance in Lincoln County District Court was scheduled today.