The Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) arrested a man for wearing a face mask–more or less. On May 2, BHPD apprehended a suspect believed to be responsible for multiple burglaries across the region. Rockim Prowell, a 30-year-old from Inglewood, has been charged with two counts of burglary, one count of vandalism, and two counts of grand theft. His M.O. appears to have been the use of an unnervingly realistic white face mask topped off with a mop of auburn hair.
According to county records, Prowell is currently out on bond and will appear next in court on May 25 for a preliminary setting/resetting hearing. He was arraigned in court on May 4, where he pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Beverly Hills law enforcement drew a connection between two separate burglaries that happened in the city when investigating a report of a burglary in the 1900 block of Loma Vista Drive on April 20. According to BHPD, surveillance video showed the same suspect and same car involved in another burglary back in July 2020. In both incidents, the suspect stole a flat-screen television.
On May 2, BHPD officers performed a traffic stop of a car driven by Prowell. In the course of the stop, police say they found the face mask in question and “other items located in the car connected him to residential burglaries” in Beverly Hills, according to a department statement. Officers also allege that the license plates of the vehicle were stolen.
Detectives with the department conducted a subsequent search of Prowell’s home in Inglewood. The department says that the search uncovered items that connect Prowell to “numerous residential burglaries within the Southern California area,” according to the statement. The BHPD is now working alongside police with the Los Angeles Police Department and Newport Beach Police Department.
If you have information about this suspect, BHPD encourages you to reach out at (310) 285-2125. If you would like to remain anonymous, text BEVHILLSPD followed by the tip information to 888777. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. To access Crime Stoppers, download the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP or use the website https://www.lacrimestoppers.org.
