Police say a man broke into a Maine apartment, opened Christmas presents and then fell asleep on the couch before allegedly refusing to leave.
According to local outlets WGME and WABI, the Bangor tenant woke up on Sunday, Nov. 23, to find 50-year-old Jose Harvey of Milford sleeping on the couch. The resident called police around 8:40 a.m. after Harvey allegedly ignored demands to get out, the outlets reported.
When officers arrived, Harvey was reportedly unable to give any reasonable explanation for why he was inside the home, per WGME and WABI.
Police also noted that Christmas gifts near where Harvey was found had been opened, according to the reports.
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Harvey was arrested and charged with aggravated criminal trespass, the outlets said. He was taken to Penobscot County Jail. As of Sunday, Nov. 30, he was no longer in custody, according to jail records.
The Bangor Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The tenant told officers that the bathroom window was open, though the apartment doors were locked, WGME and WABI reported.
In a Facebook post responding to WABI’s coverage of the alleged break-in, Bangor police used the incident as a seasonal safety reminder.
They urged residents to regularly check that doors and windows are locked, noting that unexpected visitors of this kind can quickly ruin any holiday spirit. The department also advised people not to leave gifts or packages visible in their vehicles, even when parked at home, and to keep purchases out of sight while shopping.
In a final note, the department encouraged Bangor residents to lean into basic decency during the holidays: keep your hands to yourself, don’t touch or take what doesn’t belong to you, and show kindness to others.
