Columbia police investigators said 8 Columbia home invasion robberies since August 3 were caused by forced entry or by a victim opening up a door to a stranger.  Police recommend the installation of home security systems and said there are several other things you can do to help prevent a home invasion robbery.

Columbia police officer Latisha Stroer said, “We want to make sure that you are making sure that your house is lit up.  Make sure it looks lived in.  Make sure you buy more expensive locks for your doors to make it harder for them to get in.  You may want to buy some surveillance equipment at the residence.”

Brian Marema owns Columbia’s Command Security and Sound.  He’s recently sold several home security systems that allow homeowners to immediately warn police through automatic sensors or a manual panic button.

Marema said, “Even if you don’t have the system armed, we have different panic alert devices that you can activate your system and set off a siren and call out to the police even if you don’t have the system armed just by pressing a button.”

You can buy cheaper home security systems that protect basic points of entry in your home.  The more expensive ones can protect every door and window in your home with a motion detection alarm.

Police have very few leads.  The only suspect description for Columbia’s 8 recent home invasion robberies is two black males.  One of them usually carries a handgun.

Three of Columbia’s 8 home invasion robberies happened in the northeast part of the city.

The other 5 cases occurred on the city’s south side.