HOWARD — A Howard resident recalls the frightening experience she had this past Wednesday night. It was around 11 p.m. when she was watching television in her living room and got a notification on her phone from her Ring doorbell camera.
"I noticed that there was a man that was in our driveway, and as soon as he spotted the Ring, because it lights up when it's on, he immediately backed off," the Howard woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
She said a man lurked around her house, pacing between her front door and garage door. Her garage door keypad was also flipped open after he left.
"I thought it was really strange," she said.
He stayed for around eight minutes, and she called authorities.
"As soon as he saw their lights, they spooked him," she said. "There was another car parked past our pine trees with their lights off, but still running, but as soon as the cops put their lights on, then they flipped on their lights."
Authorities spoke with the occupants of the car, but could not determine a crime was committed.
The incident occurred near Cardinal Lane and Landler Street, and she said this isn't the first time something like this has happened near her. Multiple residents have been sharing odd encounters to Ring neighborhood apps they've caught on their doorbells.
"Over the last few months...people have actually stolen things or saw two men that came and then they came back later or one man, so there's been a few other stories in this area," she said.
Marc Shield, sergeant with Brown County Sheriff's Office, said doorbell camera systems are extremely beneficial in helping law enforcement solve crimes.
"People in their community know their community best, so if there's something that they see that's out of the ordinary or sticks out or a red flag, we encourage them to contact law enforcement because at the time it might not seem like anything, or it might truly not be anything, but it could be part of a bigger situation," Shield said.
Anyone who wishes to report their own doorbell footage they think might be suspicious can contact the Brown County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line: (920) 391-7450.