A Massachusetts man accused in a multimillion-dollar Beverly mansion heist will remain jailed as the case moves through Superior Court.
Emajae Brown, 25, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges tied to the March 28 break-in at Rock Edge, a historic seaside mansion on Paine Avenue in Beverly. The Boston Globe reported that Brown is accused of stealing nearly $8 million worth of valuables from the property.
Prosecutors say the intruders entered through an unlocked side door, then confronted, assaulted, and tied up a housekeeper inside the mansion.
For homes with workers, vendors, valuables, and several access points, that single unlocked door is the detail homeowners will notice first.
The Case Has Moved To Superior Court
Brown was indicted last month on 10 charges, including armed burglary, home invasion, assault with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, witness intimidation, and larceny, according to Boston.com.
The Essex County District Attorney’s Office previously said Brown was arraigned in April on charges including home invasion, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a person over 60, kidnapping, armed burglary, larceny of a motor vehicle, and larceny over $1,200.
The office also emphasized that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Brown has remained held without bail since his arrest, and the Boston Globe reported that he will continue being held pending a July 8 hearing.
Police Say The Intruders Used An Unlocked Door
CBS Boston reported that police believe two masked men entered the oceanfront home through an unlocked door around 2 a.m. and smashed into several locked rooms with apparent blunt objects.
Gold, silver, high-value watches, cash, and collectibles were allegedly taken from the home.
Prosecutors have also said a Porsche belonging to the homeowner was stolen and later found abandoned at a cemetery in Lynn.
The Access Questions Go Beyond One Door
Authorities say Brown is the former boyfriend of a woman who had worked at the mansion as a housekeeper. Boston.com reported that police believe another person was involved, but no additional arrest had been announced in the case as of the latest reports.
That detail does not make anyone else responsible for what happened. It does show why households with workers, vendors, and valuable property need clear routines for keys, alarm codes, garage access, side doors, and interior locked rooms.
When someone no longer needs access information, door codes and alarm permissions should be updated quickly. Expensive watches, coins, jewelry, cash, and collectibles also need records that can help police and insurers identify what was taken.
The Investigation Followed Cameras, Phones, And The Stolen Car
Investigators used surveillance, phone data, license plate readers, and doorbell-camera information as they tracked the case, according to Boston.com and CBS Boston.
Police later found more than $300,000 in cash and gold items in Brown’s car, prosecutors alleged.
The Insurance Information Institute advises homeowners to create a home inventory, record serial numbers, and check whether jewelry, art, collectibles, and other big-ticket items need additional coverage beyond a standard policy.