LEWISTON – Undercover agents in cars, on bicycles and on foot this week helped link a local man to a series of home and car burglaries since the start of summer.

Joseph Carter, 40, of Oak Street, has been charged with burglary and theft in a rash of break-ins where cash, credit cards, jewelry, tools and other items were taken.

For two months, police have been investigating the break-ins that targeted homes and vehicles on quiet side streets off College, Montello and Russell streets.

Investigators said the thief gained entry through unlocked doors and windows or forced entry. Most of the burglaries occurred overnight.

Carter was arrested Wednesday with the help of undercover police work and footage from store surveillance cameras.

Last week, a Manning Place home was burglarized by a thief who entered through a sliding glass door, according to police reports. Stolen were cash and a Lowe’s gift card taken from a purse.

After that burglary was reported, police began examining video footage from Lowe’s cameras. In that footage, police said, they spotted Carter using the stolen gift card.

Since the start of summer, police Officer Jeremy Somma, Detective Trevor Campbell and David Levesque of the Central Maine Violent Crime Task Force have been investigating the spate of break-ins.

The trio arrested Carter on Wednesday and took him to the Androscoggin County Jail where he remained later in the day.

Several hundreds dollars in cash, gift cards, credit cards and other property was recovered when Carter was arrested, police said.

According to Lewiston police spokesman Lt. Michael McGonagle, more charges are expected to be filed.

With one suspect behind bars, police caution that more thieves are out there looking for opportunities to break into vehicles and homes. As always, vigilance is the best defense.

“Residents know their neighborhoods better than anyone else,” said deputy police Chief Michael Bussiere. “If you see someone or something unusual, call 911.”

Meanwhile, anyone with information about recent burglaries in the area of College and Russell streets is asked to call Detective Campbell at 513-3001, ext. 3320.