TMZ photo of a not-so-happy BILLY JOEL during the investigation (Police officer in background)
The weekend of January 25-26 some 'Big Shot' broke into BILLY JOEL's Centre Island, New York mansion, trashing and damaging a dozen motorcycles that were in his garage, as well as his home office! BILLY JOEL discovered the break-in and damage when he retuned home Monday morning on 1/27/20, and called the police. The police 'May Be Right' when they said, 'It Just May Be A Lunatic They're Looking For'. Understandably, BILLY JOEL is upset and an 'Angry Young Man', knowing that someone would trespass onto his property and damage his treasured personal motorcycles. The police are under 'Pressure' to find and arrest the culprit to this crime, fast! The intruder gained access into the house by smashing the glass to the door that leads into the garage.
Actual photo provided by TMZ
TMZ photos of Nassau County Police and Centre Island Police investigating crime scene at BILLY JOEL's
estate.
I love reading mystery novels. I watch Forensic Files, CSI and Court TV, and should have became a private investigator, but I didn't. But I will tell you this, my theory on this BILLY JOEL break-in.
I have been living on the north shore of Long Island, N.Y. where the crime occurred, three miles from BILLY JOEL's estate, for thirty years. I know much about the area, and I have some theories. And here they are.
The suspects: (1). A furious, annoyed and irate neighbor on Centre Island who hired someone to carry out this crime.
(2). A business deal gone bad within the last two years. (3). A disgruntled ex-employee. According to the police report, nothing was stolen or missing. Odd? But twelve of BILLY JOEL's motorcycles that were kept in his garage, were smashed and damaged, and his home office was trashed. So this was not a burglary, this was personal!
Opportunity: It was a known fact that BILLY JOEL would be in concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday night 1/25/20, and nobody would be home. Arriving by car would not be an option for the intruder. The village of Centre Island, N.Y. is a peninsula. One way in, and one way out. The Centre Island police would notice all vehicles entering or leaving. But if this were true, the trespasser would have to leave their vehicle on a private street, where parking is prohibited, in front of the estate's gate, hop a fence, walk the grounds (16 acres) towards the house, and then come back the same way he came in. Not likely. The intruder probably arrived from the rear of the estate by skiff (a small boat), via Oyster Bay harbor to the shoreline, or walked the shoreline from a residence on Centre Island, under the cover of night.
Motives: There are several. First, BILLY JOEL has been renovating his estate for years. Adding additions to his mansion for his expanding family, adding a dock for his boats, and a helipad (helicopter landing pad) for commuting convenience. Hence, constant construction and noise, most certainly annoying neighbors.
Secondly, due to a local ordinance, no docks could be built after 1960 in this area. The docks that were alreadly there, prior to that year, were grandfathered in. Many residences did apply for permits to build docks, but were denied, including BILLY JOEL. But BILLY JOEL had a dock built for his three boats, within the past two years, maybe because he has a personal relationship with the Govenor of New York State, and who is also the Godfather to two of BILLY JOEL's daughters. So some people may have resented that BILLY JOEL got special treatment allowing him to build his dock, when others could not.
And thirdly, and most likely, his helipad, in which there are now (4) four on Centre Island. BILLY JOEL commutes via helicopter to his gigs in New York City and out of state concerts to JFK via helicopter. Although it's usually less than 10x times a month, most neighbors are annoyed by the noise in this otherwise quiet community. BILLY JOEL was the latest resident to get a helipad on Centre Island, N.Y., and neighbors have now had enough of helipads and the noise, taking their complaints to the town board.
So the Centre Island Board of Trustees limited helicopter take-offs and landings from Centre Island, N.Y. But there are other people who live on Centre Island, who commute leisurely for pleasure, and daily for business (50x times a month) into Manhattan by helicopter, and are probably furious and enraged due to now limited take-offs and landings, and may be blaming BILLY JOEL for the town boards decision for limited use. (Centre Island to New York City by car- 2 hours, by helicopter- 15 minutes)
So, could it be one of the neighbors who hired the intruder that had BILLY JOEL's motorcycles smashed and his home office trashed? My instinct tells me the prime suspect would be one of BILLY JOEL's upset neighbors. I would also consider and question people who had recent BILLY JOEL business dealings gone bad, and all ex-employees who might have felt slighted. Everyone mentioned above is a suspect, though I believe it was one of the neighbors. I have no proof or evidence of anything, so this is all speculation on my part as an amateur sleuth. But I will tell you this, whoever did orchestrate this crime was sending BILLY JOEL a message. Because this was not a burglary, this was personal!
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