Vandal terrorizes Palm Bay neighborhood, torches cars

PALM BAY, Fla. — A vandal terrorized a Palm Bay neighborhood over the weekend.

The vandal burglarized and torched about six cars on Early Drive over the weekend, officials said.

"It's a total disaster," said arson victim Pearline Bryan. "This isn't right. You work so hard get what you want. What are you supposed to do?"

Investigators preserved as much evidence as they could from the fires and roughly a dozen other area car burglaries that included a shoe left behind by the vandal.

Police said they found the other shoe and some stolen property in the home of 20-year-old Jeremy Spikes, who was then charged with a violating probation.

Arson victim Ethelbert Bryan described the burned car, saying, "That give me a headache, just the smell of it."

The arrest is some consolation.  But, the Bryans will have to pay for many of the repairs out of their own pocket.

"If they bring him back on this block, God help him," said Pearline Bryan,

Investigators said Spikes was released from the Department of Corrections two months ago, where he was serving time for burglary.

WFTV