Robert Carl Hopkins Jr., Alleged Vandal From Parked Cars and Poser for Ugly Police Mugshot of the Week

​Pity Robert Carl Hopkins Jr. The Costa Mesan may have simply posed for a bad photo. Or, perhaps the camera caught him at an unflattering angle. Or, the 19-year-old could just need to grow some more into his face (and out of that thing on his forehead).

Certainly Costa Mesa's upscale Mesa Verde community members whose cars Hopkins is accused of breaking into don't mind that he's been named this week's poser for the Ugly Police Mugshot of the Week.

At 6:45 this morning, Costa Mesa police officers responded to a report of a suspicious man in the 2900 block of Jacaranda Avenue in Mesa Verde. The description given fit that of another man reported to have been prowling and peering into cars in the same neighborhood earlier in the morning.

Courtesy of the Costa Mesa Police Department

Ugh to the lee: Robert Carl Hopkins Jr.

​No man fitting the descriptions was discovered until later in the morning, and he appeared to be in possession of several items that did not belong to him, according to police.

Further investigation determined some items had been taken from cars parked in Mesa Verde overnight, something some residents had not yet even discovered or reported. Positive identification of some stolen goods were made by residents later in the day.

Hopkins, the man police initially picked up, was arrested on suspicion of possessing stolen property, petty theft, possession of dangerous drugs, and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Meanwhile, more calls started trickling in from others in Mesa Verde reporting their cars had been broken into. Police say most if not all targeted vehicles--10 at last count--had been unlocked. Some thefts may have happened in the past week.

The investigation continues, and if you believe items were stolen from your car, call the Costa Mesa Police Department at 714.754.5255.