WATERLOO - Police are asking residents of a student neighbourhood in Waterloo to be vigilant after two suspicious incidents were recently reported, including one in which a man was seen peering through a woman's bedroom late at night.

In that case, a woman living on Hickory Street called police after she saw a man looking through her window at 2 a.m. on Feb. 3.

"The blinds were broken in a specific area and an individual was seen peering through the blinds," said Const. Ashley Dietrich of the Waterloo Regional Police.

The other reported incident happened the same day and in the same general area, she said. It was reported that a person entered a home through an unlocked door and startled a resident who was asleep at the time.

A woman who lives in one of the homes told The Record that she and her roommates have taken extra precautions since the incident. The Record has agreed to not name the woman.

"I feel a little bit more protective of where I live now," she said, adding that she and her roommates are more cautious about who is allowed into their home. They also changed their locks.

Police are still trying to determine whether the two cases are related. Dietrich said there are concerns similar incidents have gone unreported, and police are encouraging those in the area to report any suspicious persons.

"If something similar happened to them ... please report it to police immediately, and obtain, if possible, a description of the individual so we can try and identify them as quickly as possible," Dietrich said.

Students are also being asked to be mindful of their surroundings, to talk to their neighbours and ensure their doors are locked and blinds are closed.

Police have released a description of the man seen peering through a window at the Hickory Street home. He is described as six feet tall and 210 pounds, and he was wearing a dark winter jacket with a fur-trimmed hood and light-coloured pants.

Anyone with information can contact police at 519-570-9777 ext. 6699 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

lbooth@therecord.com, Twitter: @BoothRecord