Deputies catch home invasion robbery suspect in the act on Fort Myers Beach

Lee County deputies say they arrested a suspect at the scene of a home invasion early Wednesday on Fort Myers Beach.

Deputies were patrolling when they received a 911 call about an in-progress home invasion on Mango Street. They got to the home and found the front door had been kicked in and suspect Brian Alan Towns, 44, inside.

UPDATE: Towns faces a charge of home invasion robbery without a weapon. He was booked into Lee County Jail and bonded out Thursday.

Deputies learned that while the victims were sleeping, Towns began pounding on the front door, and while a victim was calling 911, Towns kicked the door in and snatched the phone from the victim. Deputies arrived moments later.

Neighbors say Towns was drunk and covered in blood. The property manager told us Towns thought he was at his home, screaming, “You’re in my house. Get out of my House.” He scared a family of four that was on vacation inside the home.

Deputies arrived at the scene before anything else happened after Towns was able to get inside.

“Then, helicopters started coming and all kinds of police commotion stuff we’re not used to,” said Misty Fox, a neighbor who lives down the street.

Misty and her mom, Debra, heard the chaos and saw the flashing lights.

“I first told her, ‘Get up quick and lock the door!’ ’cause we don’t know what’s happening.”

Now that Fox knows what happened, her thoughts are with the family on vacation. That family has since left the home.

“I don’t know what I would’ve done,” Fox said. “What do you do if someone comes, crashes your door in? And with kids,” Fox said. “So I’m going back home, but I’m still really freaked out that she’s going to be right here.”