'Desperate Squatter': Darien Thefts Spark War Of Words

DARIEN, IL – Reported thefts in the restaurant and banquet hall at Carriage Greens Country Club have resulted in a war of words involving a larger legal dispute.

On Jan. 6 and 9, police received reports that items such as cameras were stolen from the restaurant and banquet hall.

In both cases, restaurant representatives pointed the finger at Brian Broderick, who owns the country club with his wife, Adriana Broderick.

The Brodericks are embroiled in litigation with Carriage Greens F and B, which runs Sandtrap Grill and the banquet facility at the club.

In an email to Patch, Brian Broderick denied stealing anything.

"It’s laughable," he said. "Heidi blames everyone but herself for her failed business, most of all me. If I’m such a horrible person, a horrible landlord and thief, according to her, why does she want to stay at Carriage Greens?"

According to the police report, F and B owner Heidi Revelis said she found no signs of forced entry in the area that she rents from the club. She said she would include the missing items in her lawsuit against the club.

Besides the cameras, the missing items included a vacuum cleaner, a 25-pound roast, eight tables, two high-top tables, 30 steak knives and a package of linens, according to police reports obtained through a public records request from Patch.

Revelis said she believed Brian Broderick was responsible, but had no witnesses or evidence to back up her contention, the report said.

In his email, Broderick called Revelis a "desperate squatter."

"This relationship is irreparable," Broderick said. "We see this scenario ending in any one of three ways. Number one Heidi runs out of money and her business fails. Number two Heidi gets evicted in February or number three Heidi stays until her lease term is ended March 31, 2024. Either way, we look forward to a bigger and better future with a restaurant and banquet facility we can once again be proud of."

About 5:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve, Darien police were called to the country club for a report of a burglary.

According to police records, windows were broken in the kitchen and banquet hall. Among the items stolen was an ATM, police said.

The police report mentioned possible surveillance footage, but no description of the suspects was given.

As for any links between the burglary and later reported thefts, Deputy Police Chief Jason Norton said in an email to Patch, "I spoke to the detective assigned to the cases, and at this time, the only association we have is the common location."

In his email to Patch, Brian Broderick said, "There have never been more burglaries or petty police calls at Carriage Greens in my entire family’s history (as there have been) under Heidi’s watch."

Patch reported on the legal dispute in late November.

A message was left Tuesday afternoon with Revelis' attorney.