Sculpture missing from Madoff's NY beach home

[September 17, 2009]  MONTAUK, N.Y. (AP) -- Security has been tightened at Bernard Madoff's former beach home after the theft of a sculpture off the front porch.

East Hampton Town Police Chief Todd Sarris says the 4-foot-tall sculpture, with an Aztec motif, is valued at around $300.

A caretaker reported the sculpture missing on Saturday. He said he'd last seen it two days earlier.

The oceanfront property is in Montauk (MAHN'-tawk), on the eastern end of Long Island. It's listed for sale at $8.75 million.

Madoff was sentenced in June to 150 years in prison for orchestrating a massive, decades-long Ponzi scheme.

The punishment included a forfeiture order that stripped Madoff and his wife of nearly all their wealth, including homes.

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Information from: Newsday, http://www.newsday.com/

[Associated Press]

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