BILLY JOEL'S ESTATE BURGLARIZED
Music icon Billy Joel's Centre Island home was recently burglarized and his belongings vandalized, according to numerous news outlets. The Nassau County Police Department does not release victim information, but Second Precinct sources told the Leaderof a burglary occurring sometime between 3:30 pm on Saturday, January 25th and 8:15 am on Monday, January 27th. Investigators have noted damage to a garage door, a home office, and, most seriously, twelve motorcycles. There were no reports of any property of Joel's being removed from the premises by the perpetrator or perpetrators.
The Nassau County Police Department has been handling the investigation and has not followed up since the initial report of breaking and entering and vandalism at a Center Island residence. Sources report to the leader that the investigation continues.
Thankfully, sources say, no one was home at the time of the burglary. Billy Joel performed at Madison Square Garden on January 25th, where he also met backstage guests included "James Bond" actor Daniel Craig. No information is available about what kind of alarm system or security Joel utilizes at his residence. Joel's public relations representative would not respond for comment.
Billy Joel's enthusiasm for motorcycles is well-known and he owns a motorcycle shop, "20th Century Cycles," at Audubon Avenue in Oyster Bay. Centre Island has only one road leading in and out of the hamlet, and at the narrowest strip of land which the road passes through is the Centre Island police station. It is unlikely that any land-based vehicular entry onto the island could take place without being recorded by police.
Billy Joel was already one of the most successful recording artists of the rock era at the time he purchased his Centre Island estate in 2002. Now 70 years old, Joel's popularity remains undiminished, with his longtime one show per month residency at Madison Square Garden unlikely to end anytime in 2020. With his popularity has come unusual visibility for himself and the secluded Centre Island section of Oyster Bay. Joel's property has been photographed frequently from the sound and from the air. His personal life has often been the subject of public scrutiny. Last week, he received local press attention after applying for permission to install a stable and maintain horses on his Centre Island property. That issue is wholly unaddressed in the current Centre Island village code.
Anyone with any information about the break-in described here should call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will, or course, remain anonymous.