Who is Rockim Prowell? LA home burglaries linked to Black suspect disguised as White male with lifelike mask
A Black man was arrested after he allegedly used a life-like mask with fake hair to disguise himself as a White male while committing a string of burglaries in the Los Angeles area, officials said on Friday, May 7.
Rockim Prowell has been linked to around 30 home burglaries in the region and is currently charged with two counts each of burglary, grand theft and one count of vandalism, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department.
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Prowell was first linked to a pair of home burglaries that took place in the expensive neighborhood in April and July of 2020. Detectives linked his vehicle to the crimes after scouring hours of surveillance footage. Authorities subsequently released images showing the suspect with the mask and wearing glasses.
According to Fox LA, Prowell stole flat-screen television sets in both burglaries. Authorities said they noticed the suspect unusually kept his mouth open at all times and eventually realized he was wearing a mask.
Beverly Hills police officers apprehended the suspect Prowell, 30, of Inglewood, on May 2 during a traffic stop. Officers recovered a face mask from the car, along with several items that allegedly connected him to the crimes. Police said the license plates on his car were also stolen. While searching his home, authorities found items linking him to additional burglaries.
The Los Angeles Police Department put out a tweet earlier on Thursday asking if anyone had surveillance footage of the suspected masked burglar. “It was odd this burglar’s mouth was always open when seen on surveillance video,” the department wrote. “When he was caught breaking into another home we discovered why.”
The tweet, which has since been taken down, included images of the suspect wearing a mask. Social media was quick to react to the news and offered several pop-culture references poking fun at the case. "Can someone make a scooby doo face reveal meme for this please?" one person tweeted. "Someone took Eddie Murphy's SNL skit to a whole nother level," another quipped. "I’m getting Texas chainsaw massacre feels here," a third added. "Perhaps he is that elusive White Supremacist that is spoken of," another chimed in.
Can someone make a scooby doo face reveal meme for this please
— F J Sendell (@FJSendell) May 9, 2021
Someone took Eddie Murphy's SNL skit to a whole nother level
— TexTodd #AGNB (@ToddCee23) May 9, 2021
Perhaps he is that elusive White Supremacist that is spoken of
— Cleetus Van Damme (@CleetusVDamme) May 9, 2021
According to Fox LA, Beverly Hills detectives are working with the LAPD and authorities in Newport Beach to determine if he's linked to additional home burglaries in those areas. Prowell has been connected to seven burglaries in the area, the LAPD Pacific Division told the press. While the suspect has been released from custody, he is scheduled to appear in court on May 25, per jail records.
If you or anyone you know has more information about the suspect, you are urged to to call the BHPD at 310-285-2125. For those who wish to remain anonymous, you can text BEVHILLSPD followed by the tip information to 888777. Meanwhile, tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800 222-8477.