Well-Known Jersey Shore Musician Charged With Trespassing in Rumson

RUMSON, NJ - The lead singer of a beloved Jersey Shore cover band was involved in a home ownership dispute over his newly-purchased Rumson home, and it's gotten bad enough that the local police were called in.

Brian Kirk was arrested Feb. 22 at a property in Rumson. Kirk is the lead singer of Brian Kirk and the Jirks, a Monmouth County band that was voted #1 musical act in the state in an Asbury Park Press readers' poll last year.

Kirk, 53, of Middletown, was reported on the property on Feb. 22, Rumson police told Patch. Kirk said he had purchased the home, police said. However, the previous homeowner called 911 to report him there, and told police that the burglar alarm had been activated.

"Mr. Kirk cut the power to the system to stop the alarm from sounding while he worked on the home," said Det. Sgt. Chris Isherwood of the Rumson police. "On our arrival we found a previous notice to him on January 31st to leave the property – he was then charged with defiant trespass (for being present), and criminal mischief (for cutting the line)."

Both charges are disorderly person’s offenses.

Kirk explained to Patch that he had bought the home in foreclosure in a Monmouth County Sheriff's sale on Jan. 30. The whole issue stemmed over conflicts with the previous owner, he said.

When he went to the home on Feb. 22, he was under the impression from the Sheriff's office that he had permission to enter the home, and he found one of the doors unlocked. He entered, the alarm went off, and he was arrested.

Kirk said that he was taken to the Rumson jail, booked, given a court date and released.

Kirk now owns the deed to the home, and he and his family moved into the ranch home Thursday. They are now living there full time.

"There was this grey area at the time over who owned it," he said.

Brian Kirk and the Jirks are widely known and celebrated in New Jersey: They have performed with Bruce Springsteen, and play at weddings, festivals and other events up and down the Jersey Shore and throughout the state. They performed during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City and at the Democratic National Convention last year in Philadelphia.

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