A Dadeville man is facing multiple burglary and theft charges and is believed to be connected to up to 30 separate burglaries of homes on Lake Martin along the Elmore and Tallapoosa county lines.

Matthew Mann, 26, was arrested March 6 and charged with three counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree theft of property and one count of receiving stolen property.

Mack Daugherty, chief of security for Russell Lands Corp., said this was the second-largest burglary ring on Russell Lands property in the past 20 years.

“At least 12 homes on the Tallapoosa County side of the lake were hit, and the rest were on the Elmore County side,” Daugherty said. “This was an example of great cooperation among the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department, Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department and the Dade-ville Police Department.”

Daugherty said the investigation spanned at least six months of reports of homes that were forcibly entered and particular items stolen.

“He wanted flat screen TVs and other electronics,” he said.

Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said Mann allegedly did not take anything else other than newer televisions.

“He wouldn’t take any of the older models,” Abbett said. “He didn’t take cash, jewelry or anything else other than TVs.”

The homes Mann allegedly burglarized were located along County Line Road, Governors Island and north of Russell Crossroads.

Daugherty said Russell Lands Security initiated the investigation and later made a positive identification of Mann after some of the TVs, which were reported stolen, were found in an Alexander City pawn shop.

“Our surveillance equipment proved to be a huge asset in helping break the case,” Daugherty said.

In addition to his current charges, Abbett said Mann has separate charges pending in Coosa County and was recently indicted on domestic violence charges in Tallapoosa County.

Once Mann’s cases in Tallapoosa County are concluded he will face additional theft and burglary charges in Elmore County, according to Sheriff Bill Franklin.

“We’re gonna let Tallapoosa County take care of him first before having him brought down here to deal with the charges here,” Franklin said.

Mann is currently being held in the Tallapoosa County Jail on an unspecified bond amount.

Taylor is copy editor for The Wetumpka Herald.