3 charged in attempted burglary at former Dowling College campus in Shirley

One man and two women were charged with burglary after two of them were seen coming out of a guarded building at the former Dowling College campus in Shirley, Suffolk County police said.

At about 3 p.m. Wednesday, a security guard working at the site on William Floyd Parkway noticed an open gate and, upon closer inspection, found Michele Brill, 44, of Selden, sitting in a Nissan sedan, police said. The guard then saw Christopher Alaia, 40, of Ronkonkoma, and Kristle Doughty, 39, of Bohemia, leaving the previously secure building, police said.

The guard called 911 and stayed with Brill while the others attempted to flee. Responding police officers arrested Alaia and Doughty.

Police said they discovered a bag of burglar's tools inside the building, including two electronic saws, a hammer, screwdriver, several blades and work gloves.

Police did not say what the motive was for the alleged burglary.

Alaia, Brill and Doughty were each charged with third-degree burglary, police said.

Alaia and Doughty were arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Thursday. 

Bail for Alaia was set at $10,000 cash, $20,000 insured bond or $10,0000 partially secured surety bond, according to online court records.

Doughty was released with nonmonetary conditions, records said. 

Information on Brill's arraignment, which was also scheduled for Thursday, was not immediately available.

The former Dowling College campus in Oakdale, on the Vanderbilt estate containing the Idle Hour mansion, has been the subject of numerous vandalisms since it closed in 2016. Teenagers apprehended on that site told police the vandalism was a part of a social media challenge to damage historic buildings.

The Shirley location had been one of several Dowling College campuses on Long Island. It was used as its aeronautics school before the school declared bankruptcy in 2016 due to mounting debt and declining enrollment.

A New Jersey developer in February had proposed to turn the location into an ice skating rink and distribution center.