Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US police/Und.) a burglary while the occupants of the building are present; thus hot prowler, the burglar; also attrib.

1928		C. Panzram Journal of Murder in Gaddis & Long (2002) 116: To pull off a hot prowl is to turn off a trick in a private or a joint that is to be kipped or bugged; that is to rob a place where people are sleeping or that is wired.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks n.p.: Hot prowl, a burglar who robs unoccupied houses.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 124: hot prowler A burglar who enters a house while the tenants are home.
2004		J. Ellroy ‘Hot-Prowl Rape-O’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 260: We call burglars who break into residences with people inside them ‘hot-prowl men.’.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 50: Dig: three hot-prowl/rape-o/459 men.