July the 8th, 2024. Police in Poria, Illinois are responding to a report of a home invasion of a sort. Hi, I will uh be with you just a moment if you would just give us some space for now. Can I hear what's being said? I think I'd right here. Okay. Well, if if you could stand down the way and not interject, that would be amazing. I will not say anything. The officer will speak with these two uh residents inside the privacy of the home, then check back with the alleged offender, but all is not as it seems. Hi, Abigail. Right. Yes. Hey, what's going on this morning? So, this is not a private residence. This is one building of a network of buildings that are part of a 501c3 nonprofit organization. I am the founder and director of that organization. What is the organization? It's called the Community House Network. You can look us up online. You can see your website. You can see okay about our programming and the different houses. This used to be run as a sober living and now it was turned into uh like a community liaison position. Someone who would be embedded in the community. An embedded ambassador of kindness is what I called it. Okay. So, do you own the house? The community foundation owns the house. The community foundation. The business. And you are the founder and director, big boss of them. And I overall Okay. So then why did you choose this morning to come over to this house and have this interaction? Well, the thing is that they changed the locks on that. I cannot get in the building. I need to have access. Our food, our um materials for our programming are stored in the basement here. Um I need to have access to that. And they've known that all the time. Even that upper room that was never meant to be a place for their living space that was um for our materials and an office space for me. So that had a lock on it. I took it off just out of courtesy so that they can if they needed to go up there and check the AC or anything. But that that space and the basement space were my work spaces. So this building has continued to be part always used for the project. It never was uh given to them as a residence. They were employees of the organization. So are you telling me that there is no written agreement between this organization and them as far as living arrangements go? No. There's no written agreement? Yes, ma'am. There's no written agreement. Okay. Why Why would that be? Well, um, we were developing the position, so I I I I have a description of Let me let me ask you this. I'm sorry to interrupt. I could have given How long have they been here at this house? Uh, he's been here 3 months. She's been here four months. Okay. So, then you've been a landlord long enough. We'll call you a landlord for all No, I'm not a landlord. I'm a business. As the organizer of this arrangement, you have been doing this long enough, right, to understand that when somebody's been in a residence or a building like this for that amount of time, they have established residency under the law. I don't know anything like that. I don't know that. That sounds ridiculous. Beneficial if you would look into that because they live here now whether you like it or not and they have certain rights that you have to respect. Well, I'd like to point out that for for the good of your organization, you need to know these things. I will never ever ever have people living in this house. I will never ever ever have you told them that they have until the end of next month to get out of here. Is that true? prior to pri I I said I will give you time to get out and that was with the agreement that you will continue to do the work that I hired you to do that and when I told them when I said that was said at some point between yes but then they changed the locks and they refused to do the work and they wrote me messages threatening me okay they they started threatening me and they changed the locks and that is why they have to go now. Okay. Well, so do they have a right to change the locks and threaten me? Do they have the right to change the locks to a business? That's between you and them. That is that is it is it legal? That is fundamentally a civil matter. Okay. What I'm here What I'm here to do is to try to keep you out of jail cuz I'm afraid that what you did today came dangerously close to that and they're not even interested in going that route. Well, I'm interested in having them out. What they wanted me to convey to you is that they're doing everything in their power to get out of here as soon as possible. You you did say that they had some time to do that. That was before. So, they are making an effort to get out ASAP. They do not have time. Okay. That is not acceptable. They need to give me access to the house. At least the basement. My things are in there, too. My personal property is in there. If you can give me access to go get my personal property out, that's not that's not between me and them. That's between you and them. You need to work that out. But it doesn't sound like you're on really good terms right now. So, I would let that be until they leave. And then you rethink how this is this whole house is organized for future residents. Okay? Or whoever stays here. No one will stay here ever again. Just understand that as an as the organizer landlord of this place, you cannot just help yourself into some place that they have been staying for 3 to four months on a couple of different level. a business and I need access to our supplies. Okay, I would be happy to try to arrange that for you right now, but longterm you can't just help yourself in there. Not long term. What are they thinking? That is not What supplies are you needing right now? We need the food for the food bank and it is Is that a lot of stuff? It's quite a few things. And I need I need my I need my Insta Pot. I need my mixer. I need my books that I use for programming. I need access to the basement with all of our art supplies for the programming. Okay. Why don't you give me just a moment and let me see if they're willing to uh do that for you. [Music] They say they're willing to let you grab some stuff out of the house. So, uh, but just understand that the minute that you start arguing with them and um, if it goes south for any reason, we're going to have to cut it short. All right. You going to take me to jail? That could be entertaining. Not planning on doing that. No, he slammed the door. The door on my foot. I have it on video. What rights do I have there? Given the circumstances, I would say I don't know. I would say that you It sounded like you forced yourself in the house. No, I walked in the house and then they when I they he grabbed my dog and threw it outside and then when I was going to let the dog back in, he pushed me out and shove and slam my foot in the door. Okay. All right. And what's your organization? It's called the Community House Network. All right. So, here's what I'll do. if you uh No, I'm not even going to go there right now. [Music] Hey, Abigail. Um, you went into the house today, right? It is my property. Okay, so you did go into the house. You were videotaping at the time. Can I see that? That video, please. [Applause] tenant situation. Do you have a lease? Yes. No, you do not. You have to admit this. It doesn't matter. You even admit we're splatters. You have to admit property. He admitted what? That they were squatters. This is not a landlord tenant situation. Do you have a lease? How long have they been here? No, you do not. Squatters. You have to invent the Did you hear him say that? We're squatters. This is not a private owned property. They fully admit they're squatting. They have They don't pay anything to stay here. This is an arrangement where they're supposed to be helping out with them. I do. You want to see the last text message that some text messages? Let's Let's see some text messages here. Here's the last one. July 5th. July 5th. Good morning. How far back does it go? Uh, do you want to see this one or not? This is the last one because let me just see. Okay. So, all right. This is where he took the tools. I was trying to find out if he took the tools. He dropped He was supposed to be working out in the garage. I was paying him $25 an hour. He left the job. Didn't let me know. I have other people who I'm responsible for. And did you tell them that you were coming over this morning? Did you give them any any heads up? They know that I come here every Monday. We have food bank. Mhm. Are you going to look at the text messages? No, I wasn't going to get that detailed into it. Um, well, this is the part where the dog taking the tools. Did they let you in the house or did you uh have to push your way in? I did not have to push my way in. I walked in. Okay. What about the dog? There was The dog came after me. The dog walked in after me. All right. So, here's what we're going to do. Um, you're under arrest for home invasion. Do you understand that? So, I'm going to have you turn around. Put your hands behind your back. Okay. Can I at least lock the garage here? Let's step down. Let's step down first. Not the Can I Can I lock Put your hands behind your back. Can I Can I lock the garage? Put your hands behind your back. We'll take care of that. Relax. Relax. Relax. You're fine. We'll take care of this. Can I make sure my car and my things are locked? Yes, ma'am. We'll take care of your dog as well. All right, let's go for a walk. Just around the corner over here. You have anything on you? Anything illegal like drugs, weapons? Use drugs. I run a sober wedding. All right, I'm just going to go through your pockets just to double check. Got a phone here. Spread your feet for me, please. Thank you. You didn't realize that this woman was basically kind of living in someone's basement when I let her come and live in my house for free. That sounds like that was your first mistake letting come for free. You knew they were going to No, I didn't know do that. How did I know that? I didn't know they were going to do that. I don't know. Maybe you did. Maybe you didn't. I'm just saying. Why would I know that? Why would I think someone would do that? I let her come and say for free. I actually was paying them the equivalent of a,000 a month to do a job and then they're walking out of the house. But I should I can't have any contact with them. And now I'm getting arrested for going in my house. So, you should hold this for a second. Straight evil. I'm going to put these in your purse here. I can't think this is just Is my car going to get locked? And the I can do that for you. And the and the garage door needs to be locked cuz people could walk in there and take this thing. Okay. Is my car door locked? You can't think this is fair and right. Hey, Ethel. Where you at? I'm in the back of a police car. Oh my god. Jeez. Is it Is there anything I can do? Well, no. I let Ed know. So, hopefully he'll come and get me. But right now, I'm in the police car. They I went in there, you know, I said, "You can't stay here. This is not a tenant landlord situation." And then they called the police and the police arrested me. Why would they arrest you when that's your property? Because I don't know tenants rights. Oh, Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Insane. I got to go. Here comes the police. Okay. Okay. Okay. Bye. Okay. I'm going to put disorderly conduct on there, too. Just All righty. Abigail, where's your dog at? He's in the community house. I can have my husband come and get him. Okay. He'll be okay in there. So, he's in another house. He's in the community house is right here. Okay. That's the community house. This one next to it is called the Chrysler's house and then it's attached as the art garage. All right. I'll give you a chance to call your husband so that he can know to come get it. That's taken care of. You want You said you want your van locked? Yes, please. Okay. And the garage is the garage door closed and locked. Um I didn't notice that. Hey, I don't What's your hus What's your husband's uh um I already texted him. You texted him? Yeah, you gave I still have my phone. I'm in the police car. They arrested me for home engagements for doing the drugs to the people who are the squatters in the in the Chrysler's house. Oh my god. What? Yeah. So, I'm being arrested and taken to jail. I have handcuffs on. I'm in the back of a squad car. Oh my god. I know. Cuz you went into Christmas and you tell them you own the place. I did. They don't care. It doesn't matter. It's squatter's rights. I mean, I have Patrick on the phone saying he on a video saying he's a squatter and that's See, that's okay. let alone even though they lived there free actually paid them to do a job which they stopped doing. So I fired them and then they refused to leave and they said water. What do you think? Anyway, I don't think I'm supposed to be on the phone. This guy is being nice and at the moment. But I got Okay. Is there is there something I can do? I don't know. Just pray. It's so ridiculous. I mean, I don't even want to do this anymore. Abigail, do you just want this door pulled shut? And if make sure he does the um the handle lock because there's a lot of equipment in here. There's a handle lock, I guess. Yeah, if you do the knob. I have two people coming to work today. Abigail, I feel like I just need to say this. Normally when people believe that there are squatters in their house, they call the police first. Did you know that? I didn't know that. Yeah, it's pretty common thing. I would encourage you to do the same next time. Oh, there's Joe. There he is. Can I at least let him know? Let him know what? That I'm not working today. Is he looking for you? Yeah, he's looking for me. Are you looking for Abigail? Yeah. All right. She's in the back of my car. Yeah. You want to talk to her real fast? Yeah. All right. So much. Let's just make it brief. Okay. What do you need to say to him? I just wanted to let you know. So, I was arrested for home invasion by because I went into the crumpled house. You went into who? I went into the house. The the the brick house. Guess who else? The property owner, a charitable pillar of her community, was charged with criminal trespass to her residence and with disorderly conduct. Court records show that Sarah Stewart, one of the two squatters, sought an order of protection against her, which the court threw out on the 24th of July, 2024. Now, what do you think? Was justice served? What is your message to Sarah Stewart and Pat, the two squatters? Let us know in the comments below. And as always, thanks for watching 5 Police Body Cam. This guy's on something. You slammed the You slammed the door on my foot. Yeah, because you No, you went in their house. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause]