A New Jersey police sergeant faces charges for allegedly stealing $10,000 worth of cameras and equipment from a photojournalist injured during protests outside a Newark immigration facility.
Darryl Brown, a sergeant in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, was found with the stolen items after a geo-tracking device led to his home, as reported by the state’s attorney general.
Photojournalist Angelina Katsanis was covering the protests for The Associated Press. She got injured when a wooden beam struck her knee during clashes between police and demonstrators at Delaney Hall. She left her camera bag, marked with her details, as she went for medical attention.
“I checked my Airtag and the bag was already on a highway pretty far away at that point,” Katsanis said. “Right away, I had a feeling it was the police because they were the only ones with access to that area.”
After seeking treatment at a nearby hospital, the Airtag indicated the bag was at Brown’s residence in Sparta, New Jersey. The device later turned up on a roadside, far from its initial location. A review of Brown’s body camera footage revealed actions involving the bag at the protest. A search at his home retrieved several of Katsanis’ belongings.
Brown, whose legal representation wasn’t immediately available, faces charges of third-degree theft and has been suspended without pay by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Katsanis called the incident distressing, reflecting on police roles to protect citizens and property. She remains shaken by the experience.
The Newark detention center has become a protest hotspot against immigration policies, linked to President Donald Trump’s administration. Clashes increased as detainees reportedly initiated a hunger strike over alleged poor conditions, which the federal government denies, accusing protesters of heightening tensions.
Katsanis, who received medical care, suffered leg swelling and bruising but no bone fractures.
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