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Woman: Des Plaines alderman walked into her house unannounced

Alicia Carlile says she and her fiance got an unannounced visit from their Des Plaines alderman Wednesday night, claiming he walked into their house without their knowledge and up their stairs.

Carlile says she was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, and her fiance was upstairs in his music studio.

Neither claims to have heard a doorbell or knock at the door. They say 4th Ward Alderman Dick Sayad walked through their back door and went up a flight of stairs to the second-floor studio.

"The whole situation was so bizarre," Carlile said. "I was like, 'What is this man doing at our house?'"

Sayad declined to provide his version of events, except to confirm he did go to the house on the 400 block of Harvey Avenue to talk with Carlile about a ticket she got for not removing snow from a public sidewalk.

"Nothing happened. They didn't file any charges. It was a mistake. I'm not going to wash clothes with a resident in public in the newspaper," Sayad said. "I was acting as an alderman yesterday, and everything I thought I did was correct."

Carlile said Sayad left the house when he was asked to leave, after which Carlile called the police.

Police Chief Bill Kushner said police got the call about 6:15 p.m., and when they got there Sayad was waiting for them outside.

Sayad told police he knocked on the back door. No one answered, but when he looked through a window and saw the staircase, he presumed the house was divided into apartments and walked inside and went upstairs, Kushner said.

He then knocked on the door to the music studio, and Carlile's fiance let him in, Kushner said.

"As matter of course, because we're treating everyone the same we did have detectives go out today and do an investigation," Kushner said. "Speaking with the homeowners, we said, 'Do you want to file charges or sign a complaint?' and they said, 'Not at this time.'

"At this point and at this level, it appears to be a huge misunderstanding."

Carlile acknowledged she received a city ticket for not removing snow from a sidewalk. She has asked for a hearing because she believes the snow was on an easement, not her property.

"Why he was here, I don't know. I think it was about snow removal, but to me there are many ways to (handle) that," Carlile said. "To me, this is far out of his realm of responsibility."

Carlile says she's since spoken with Sayad's opponent in the April election, Mark Setzer, whom she plans to support.

Des Plaines Alderman Dick Sayad arrested on trespassing charges

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