ALPINE TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Last week, Jeremy and Molly Pree experienced every homeowner’s worst nightmare. While they were visiting family for the holidays, they got an alert on their phone from their wireless home security system: someone was breaking into their house.
While the couple admits it was unnerving to pull up the Swann Communications home security app and stare directly into the face of the unwelcome visitor, it was that same security system that would so swiftly lead to his arrest.
“Best investment we’ve made,” said Jeremy Pree, one week after the incident. “I don’t know why we didn’t do it sooner.”
But it may have been worth the wait, and definitely worth the purchase. After the original FOX 17 report aired, Swann Communications contacted FOX 17 wanting to get in touch with the Prees, and we were glad to connect them.
Tuesday, we put the Prees on the phone with Swann marketing director Jeremy Stewart. During that call, the Prees and Stewart talked at length about their experience with the break-in, the reliability of the system, and the feedback they’ve gotten since news of the incident spread around West Michigan.
“Really excited to see the positive result you got out of our camera,” said Stewart, speaking on the phone to the Prees earlier. “Great that we were able to catch a bad guy, so, well done.”
Swann even offered to upgrade the Prees' security system in the future, something Jeremy Pree says he is considering using at his business.
“It’s something that anybody has capability of accessing,” he said. “It's a tool I think everybody should have.”
And for around $100, it may be also one most can afford. The Swann system focuses on simplicity, so you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg or be a tech wizard to install it.
“We call it plug and play,” said Stewart. “It’s fairly easy to use, and you don’t need to be a technical genius to set a camera up like that.”
As for that suspect, he’s been identified as Ryan Littell, a man with eight previous offenses for either home invasion or armed robbery. Littell is currently being held on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be back in court on January 11.
With Swann now in their corner, the Prees are breathing much easier knowing they’re protected.
“We got, you know, that sense of security just from having it,” said Molly Pree, “and the few possessions that were taken, we were able to retrieve very quickly because of the accuracy of that camera.”
