Police arrest clown mask robbery suspect

BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said they have arrested a home invasion suspect accused of robbing an apartment while wearing a killer clown mask.

Investigators said Sarah Pastor and Jeffery Zimmer were in bed at 2:55 a.m. July 12 at their Boca Raton apartment when they heard a knock at the door and Pastor opened the door to see a man in the clown mask and two other men carrying crowbars, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Friday.

Pastor said when the masked man lifted his mask, she recognized him, and he told her to "get out of the house."

Pastor fled and the men attacked Zimmer, wrapping his head in a bed sheet and binding his hands and feet with zip ties.

Police said the men stole a safe containing 120 Klonopin prescription pills, 6 watches worth $5,000 and a wallet containing credit cards and $240 cash.

Pastor was shown a photo lineup and picked the photo of Sherard Ali, 39. Police said she was familiar with Ali, but they did not say how she knew him.

Ali was arrested Aug. 24 on charges of home invasion, masked robbery and false imprisonment.