Residents of the Highway Park neighborhood in Kenner are on edge after a recent string of home invasions that police believe have been committed by the same person or group.

Eight homes in the neighborhood have been burglarized in the past few weeks – all in similar fashion. In each case the front door has been kicked in and several items have been taken.

Kenner Police Chief Steve Caraway said they believe that the individual or group responsible is from outside the Kenner area.

“You’ll see spikes like this every now and then and we are certain they are being committed by the same person or persons,” he said. “We’ve actually increased the patrols back there and we’ve got some groups working in that area, plainclothes officers, to combat this.”

Kathie Candilora was a recent victim. She said she returned to her home last Tuesday and noticed that the front door was dismantled. She said that cash, jewelry and a laptop computer were taken – all in the middle of the day.

“You feel totally violated,” she said. “You go into your room and the entire night, we spent cleaning fingerprint shavings off all the furniture-- and you go to take out an article of clothing and wonder whose hands were on it?"

Candilora said neighbors have exchanged cell phone numbers and are beginning to keep a close eye on activity in the neighborhood.

Kenner Police ask anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 822-1111.