People in a Sarpy County neighborhood are worried about their safety after a home invasion. Detectives said a man raped and robbed a woman Wednesday night, creeping into the home as she slept.

People living in the area are being told to lock their doors and to not walk around alone. Sarpy County has stepped up patrols in the area of 156th and Giles.

Sheriff Jeff Davis said the masked man, armed with a gun, got into the home without any forced entry. While investigators try to determine how he broke in, neighbors are making sure their security is guaranteed.

The man, who's described as a white male in his 40s to 50s, didn't just take money. Davis said the suspect raped the woman and stayed in her home for over an hour.

"Definitely making sure that when I'm home during the day that my doors are locked,” said Leah Fletcher, neighbor.

Tom Meyer spoke with 6 News just seconds after he saw the report on his phone.

"Usually you think these kind of things happen away from you somewhere,” he said.

Teen vandals are the only crime he's seen in the area before. "This is kind of a different category,” Meyer said.

"We all believe that we all live in safe neighborhoods but it really doesn't matter nowadays,” said nearby resident Tabitha Austin.

Austin and her family just moved here from Colorado. She says she's worried that any of her neighbors had to go through something so terrible.

"I'd love to just give her a hug and let her know who we are and that we're going to keep a better watch out,” she said.

Tabitha thinks now is the time for the community to stick together.

"I'm going to become more aware of what's going on around me,” she said. "I think we all need to get out and talk to each other."

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers at 592 STOP.