SANTA MONICA—A hot prowl suspect was arrested on Saturday, July 16, in the northeastern area of Santa Monica, according to a press release from the Santa Monica Police Department. The suspect was taken into custody after officers noticed the suspect peering into the windows of residential homes and attempting to open residents’ vehicles.
Officers from the SMPD were patrolling the area in response to a series of residential burglaries and hot prowls. Around 3:45 a.m. the responding officers noticed a man in dark clothing lurking in the area of 23rd Street and Carlyle Avenue. After noticing the suspect peering into homes and trying to open vehicles the officers attempted to contact the suspect.
The suspect tried to conceal himself behind a parked vehicle. During the approach and in response to the suspect’s actions one of the officers fired one round. Kenneth Whitfield, 35, a Palmdale resident, was taken into custody without injury or incident and booked at the Santa Monica Jail. At the time of arrest Whitfield was on formal probation for receiving stolen property and vehicle theft, and summary probation for threats, Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez of the SMPD told Canyon News in an email.
“At this point Whitfield has not been charged for any residential burglaries,” Rodriguez told Canyon News. “He was booked for 647(h) PC- Prowling, 10852 CVC – vehicle tampering, 496 PC – receiving stolen property and probation violation.
The incident is still under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division of the SMPD. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office was notified and declined to respond. In accordance with SMPD Policy, a concurrent administrative investigation was initiated.
Anyone with information on the investigation can contact Detective Larios at (310) 458-8937, Detective Michael Bambrick at (310) 458-8932, Sergeant Maury Sumlin at (310) 458-8760 or the SMPD at (310) 458-8495.
